Province Kicks-in $30-Million for Ontario Racehorse Breeding

Jun 14, 2013

Province Kicks-in $30-Million for Ontario Racehorse Breeding

The Ontario government said it will extend its support for the province’s Horse Improvement Program, which aims to encouraging horse breeding. The extension will last until 2015. Over the next two years, $30-million will be allocated to support equine breeding.

The program was initiated by the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel which had recommended it. The group was created after the Liberal government announced it was ending the Slots at Racetracks Program.

“Continuing to invest in this forward-looking program gives the horse racing and breeding industry confidence there will be a future here for Ontario-bred racehorses," said Kathleen Wynne, Premier and Minister of Agriculture and Food.

One of the panelists, former tory minister John Snobelen, called the plan “great news for Ontario-bred weanlings and yearlings and a strong encouragement for breeders in rural Ontario who are building on a legacy of great racehorses."

The transition panel is expected to resume talks with industry stakeholders starting June 21 to discuss options of how to best integrate horseracing into the provinces gaming plan.

Video: Season 6, Episode 12: Veterinarians’ Perspectives on Managing Swine Herd Health Across All Phases

Identifying challenges in swine production and turning them into solutions through research and team development is the focus of this episode. Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham of Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics shares insights on herd health, biosecurity and trial work to improve pig performance. She also discusses her team’s research philosophy, how they evaluate rate of investment and how they gather feedback from employees to address challenges and maintain herd health across all phases of production. Dr. Carlos Roudergue of Country View Family Farms discusses the growing complexity of swine production, especially as technology increases and employee interaction decreases. He also shares how their workforce is shifting toward more specialized roles to support herd health and efficiency.