Hands-on learning available at the London Dairy Congress

Feb 02, 2018

Farmers can also network with exhibitors and attend panel discussions

By Diego Flammini
News Reporter
Farms.com

Attendees of the London Dairy Congress will have ample opportunity to network with exhibitors and participate in panel discussions with industry experts.

The two-day event brings together more than 100 organizations and 10 guest speakers to share the latest innovations and ideas in the dairy industry.

“The exhibitors will always have the latest technologies available to farmers,” Cheron Chamberlain, agriculture manager at the Western Fair District, told Farms.com today. “And we always have new educational sessions.”

One of the new sessions revolves around mental health within the agricultural community.

Dr. Andria Bitton, a University of Guelph researcher who’s conducting industry research on mental health, Wendell Schumm, ruminant division manager with Wallenstein Feed & Supply, and Gary Hazeleger, a dairy farmer and co-founder of Natural Motion Health & Training Centre, will participate in a panel discussion about mental health.

The fact that a mental health discussion is taking place at a farm show indicates how far the industry has come in acknowledging the illness, according to Hazeleger.

“The more we talk about (mental health), the more other people talk about it … (which) can help remove the stigma that we have had on it over the past few years,” he told Farms.com today.

The first hurdle is often the biggest hurdle, Hazeleger said, adding that confiding in one person is the first step to recovery.

Gary Hazeleger

“I know my biggest challenge was telling the first person because I was so ashamed of the feelings I was having,” he said. “When I did start telling people, I received nothing but love and support, and everybody wanted to help.”

Other educational sessions at the London Dairy Congress will focus on dairy goats.

Dr. Gillian Davidson from the Kirkton Vet Clinic in Kirkton, Ont., will discuss caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) in dairy goats. And Erin Harris, a dairy goat specialist with B-W Feeds in New Hamburg, Ont., will talk to farmers about maximizing margins using on-farm data and benchmarks.

The London Dairy Congress takes place Feb. 7 and 8 at the Metroland Media Agriplex in London, Ont.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or online for $15.

Video: FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

It's sheep shearing day at Ewetopia Farms! ?? Our Dorset lambs and ewes are getting fleeced — and for the first time, our shearer hands over his clippers to a beginner. We finish shearing the last of our adult ewes and this year’s Dorset ewe lambs.

From moving the sheep between barns, loading them into chutes, and watching the wool come off, this is always one of the most satisfying days on the farm. But this video has a twist — we welcomed a new helper, Gian, who’s not only lending a hand but also learning how to shear! With guidance from our experienced shearer, he got a crash course in sheep shearing and even tried his hand at shearing a couple of lambs himself.

You’ll see firsthand how both teacher and student handled this unique challenge. Shearing is more than just removing wool — it’s about sheep health, comfort, and giving us a closer look at the flock. It’s always amazing to see the transformation from woolly sheep to freshly shorn ewes and lambs.