Information and Resources about COVID-19 from the Ontario government.
All posts in Goats
Clostridial Disease Outbreaks in Dairy Goats: Brought to you by the Ontario Animal Health Small Ruminant Network
Prevention tips and information from the Ontario Animal Health Small Ruminant Network about Clostridial Disease Outbreaks.
Planning and building a goat milk house
A neat, well-planned milk house plays a particularly important role in producing a high‑quality product and helps to maintain a credible image of the dairy industry. OMAFRA has written a new factsheet with information, recommendations and requirements to help with planning and building a goat milk house.
August 2020 Forage Report
Photo: Many winter wheat fields were planted to an annual forage crop after harvest this year. Premiums for summer-seeded New Forage Seeding insurance are due to Agricorp September 15. Silage corn growers should check fields for rootworm resistance to Bt hybrids Scouting for corn rootworm injury in silage fields is important to detect potential resistance to rootworm Bt traits and to plan management options for the next growing season. It is especially important to report any fields showing signs of suspected resistance to your corn agronomist and the provincial entomologist. High Risk Fields for Resistance to Occur Include: continuous corn production repeated use of same rootworm Bt trait(s) for multiple years (see the 2020 Canadian Bt Corn Trait Table for more information on which traits are…
Forage Options to Replace Silage Corn
Key Points: Rotating out of corn is the most effective way to reduce populations of Bt-resistant corn rootworm. To replace silage corn for 2021, establish fall rye or winter triticale immediately after 2020 silage corn harvest. After the cereal silage comes off in mid-May, establish sorghum-sudangrass and take two cuts. An energy source will need to be supplemented; producers should consult their nutritionist to correctly balance the ration. Why replace silage corn? Some regions in Ontario have observed high corn rootworm pressure in 2020 that is challenging current Bt rootworm hybrids. In regions where Bt rootworm corn hybrids have been used for more than three consecutive years, resistance among corn rootworm populations is suspected. Several growers in Ontario are reporting…
Continuous Corn Growers Should Check Fields for Rootworm Resistance to Bt Hybrids
Reblogged from Field Crop News: Continuous corn growers should check fields for rootworm resistance to bt hybrids Canadian Corn Pest Coalition News Release: Corn rootworm (CRW) has historically been one of the most important pests of corn in Canada and can cause extreme economic loss and increased management costs. High CRW pressure in Ontario in 2020 is challenging current Bt corn rootworm hybrids and several growers of Bt rootworm hybrids are reporting unexpected injury by CRW to trait providers and research and extension scientists. Specifically, several fields in Huron, Perth and Durham Counties have been identified with injury to various Bt rootworm traits, providing an early warning of possible resistance development by CRW to some Bt traits. There is the…
June 2020 Forage Report
Southwestern According to AAFC, Lambton, Huron, Perth, Bruce, Grey, Dufferin, Wellington, Waterloo, and Halton counties had average amounts of precipitation for the month of June. The rest of the region had below-average amounts of rainfall. First cut was fully underway the first week of June. There are many reports of true armyworm in the region. OMAFRA specialists are running a True Armyworm Survey to get a better handle on the pest level this year. Armyworms prefer to feed on cereals and grasses, and are easiest to find at dusk. Producers should be scouting alfalfa for potato leafhopper, particularly those located in counties along the shore of Lake Erie. Potato leafhoppers are blown in from the southern US on stormfronts. Damage…
Forage Report – April 2020
Winter Conditions Most of the province had average amounts of precipitation over the winter. Areas of Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Huron, Grey, Bruce, Temiskaming, Cochrane, Rainy River, and Kenora received below-average winter precipitation. Overall, reports of winterkill suggest normal or below-normal levels, except in Prescott & Russell, where high amounts of alfalfa winterkill occurred. Spring Conditions Planting intentions for forage acres are up compared to 2019, and most fields intended for cool-season forages across Southern, Western, Central, and Eastern Ontario have been planted. During the month of April, Southern, Western, and Northern Ontario had below-average precipitation. Central and Eastern Ontario, and Cochrane District received average amounts of precipitation. This has allowed field work to progress steadily in areas that are at lower…
Spring Scouting of Alfalfa
Good agronomy is very important for achieving good yield and quality in forage crops. While good agronomy includes a fertility plan, seeding techniques, and harvest management, it also relies on proactive decision-making. The only way to know what is happening in a field before it is too late is to scout. Taking regular walks through hay fields and observing them carefully is important throughout the growing season, however, there are some special things producers should assess when scouting in the early spring. At green-up When the crop has broken dormancy and is putting out new buds, it is time to do a plant count and root health assessment to determine how well the alfalfa overwintered. This first scouting is a…
Predation Prevention Tools for a Goat Herd
When faced with the on-going threat of predation to your herd some proactive steps can be implemented. It should be noted that even with the best prevention strategies in place, predation can and/or will still occur. When considering prevention practices, it is important to consider the level of predation (for example, the dollar value of loss), time of year, location, past history, cost of each predation prevention strategy, and the amount of protection offered. There are different options for predation prevention strategies with some being more effective than others. Options include, but are not limited to, fencing, livestock guardian animals, hunting, trapping, night time enclosures and deterrents (lights, radio, bells, etc.). It should be noted that night time enclosures…
