Western Fair District Introduces 2016 London Dairy Congress

Sep 14, 2015

The Western Fair District is pleased to introduce the 2016 London Dairy Congress, a show that brings leaders together in order to showcase the newest technologies and latest trends in the industry. The show features a strong lineup of exhibitors, interactive and educational gatherings, and a junior dairy component as well. The show takes place on Thursday, February 4th and Friday, February 5th, 2016 from 9am to 4pm each day.

The Dairy Congress University will be working alongside Kirkton Veterinary Clinic to provide several different educational, hands-on sessions that will be led by dairy industry experts.

One of these sessions will allow participants to witness and learn about artificial insemination. In this educational session, led by Dr. Reg Clinton, participants are given the opportunity to receive instruction on the physiology and anatomy of bovine reproduction. In this hands-on presentation, participants will learn about intervention and manipulation of the cycle, as well as learning how hormones change the ovarian structure of the bovine. Each participant will have the chance to practice passing an AI rod through a cervix and into the uterine body. The discussion will teach participants the difference between placement for semen and the placement for embryos. There will be live animals at the presentation in order for participants to practice artificial insemination. This course is suitable for beginners as well as anybody who might be interested in refreshing their knowledge and techniques.

Alongside the artificial insemination presentation, Vic Daniels of Vic’s Custom Clips will be hosting a live demonstration of cattle trimming and evaluation. This presentation is meant to help farmers understand the types of lameness, biomechanics, return on investment in hoof care, and how to develop a farm strategy that integrates proAction with the recommended handling and care.

There will also be a workshop on calf management strategies, hosted by Dr. Katherine Found. This workshop will discuss the best practices to improve calf health as well as provide participants with the chance to practice their calf-rearing skills.

Exhibitors at the show will receive many benefits, including: generating sales, entry into a new market, the Exhibitors Lounge and the opportunity to network with other exhibitors.

There are many areas that are available for sponsorship. For more information about sponsoring, contact Kelly Marshall at 519-438-7203 ext. 514 or kmarshall@westernfairdistrict.com.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.