Improving calf health, fighting pesticide resistance highlighted at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show

Glacier FarmMedia — New strides in agricultural innovation have been the featured subject on the College of Guelph Feeding The Future dialogue at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2025.

The occasion introduced collectively growers, livestock producers, researchers, policymakers, and business companions in celebration of Ontario’s agri-food sector.

Jocelyn Smith, an assistant professor of subject crop entomology at Guelph, shared ongoing challenges dealing with farmers as pest-resistant crops proceed to emerge in Ontario.

“Pests maintain altering, and new pests come into Ontario. We have to study them,” she stated, including that her division continues to develop monitoring packages to check and consider new pest management merchandise.

She famous that there’s additionally ongoing analysis of previous financial thresholds in an effort to develop more cost effective remedy choices.

As of 2006, she stated that there was a rise of insecticide-resistant corn, with the most typical pest menace being the European corn borer.

She stated that 85 per cent of corn grown in Ontario is genetically modified. As of 2018, she famous that there was resistance found in Nova Scotia.

To assist gradual the unfold of resistance, she added that her group is partnering with organizations throughout Canada and the USA to develop additional prevention packages.

Maximizing Calf Well being

Michael Steele, a professor with the division of animal biosciences, continued the dialogue, sharing updates on his group’s analysis to reinforce the standard of breeding calves in Ontario.

He famous that 40 per cent of calves in Ontario are crossbred beef animals, as producers are breeding extra of their decrease finish dairy cows to beef cows.

He added that analysis can also be being completed to cut back the extent of microbial use throughout the early levels of calving. Genetic markers are additionally being traced amongst bulls to pick out the very best breeding choices.

The subsequent stage of analysis, he added, is post-weaning vitamin. He stated many calves are given a high-starch food regimen and that new analysis will discover if that is an environmentally pleasant and wholesome choice, versus different food regimen alternate options.

The general goal is to develop a greater understanding of how pre-weaning dietary and administration components can affect gastrointestinal growth and metabolism throughout the pre-weaning section and later in life.

For extra of our protection of Canada’s Outside Farm Present 2025, go to the Farmtario landing page.

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