Latest news with #dairyfarming
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘Dream team of cows': CATTLEytics wants to redefine farm data with AI
A Hamilton-based company aims to empower farmers with tools to make informed decisions by using artificial intelligence (AI) across all aspects of their operations. CATTLEytics offers data-driven proprietary software tailored to dairy and livestock farmers to assist with breeding decisions, targeted animal health protocols, optimal management decisions and even staff scheduling and task management. 'If you've ever seen the movie Moneyball, you're optimizing a baseball team. We want to do that for dairy cows. You're making your dream team of cows with the data that you have, so next season, you're going to have the best herd,' Shari van de Pol, the company's chief executive officer, told BNN Bloomberg in a Tuesday interview. The company leverages digital twin simulations, streamlined protocols and custom analytics to enable producers to enhance efficiency, profitability and sustainability without expanding resources. She said farmers save about one to two hours a day with analytics. 'The concept with software these days is that we really try to create a digital version of everything that exists on a dairy (farm) in order to better connect with all the different interactions that would happen on that dairy (farm),' said van de Pol. 'For instance, if there's a treatment plan, we would have a digital version of the treatment plan. If there's a drug to be used, we would have a digital version of the drug. If, for instance, there's yes, a calf born, we'll have a digital version of that calf. That helps us really connect all those different interactions so we can better model what's happening on our dairy (farms).' Farmers have used technology for many years. In fact, Canada was recognized as one of the global leaders in the agricultural technology industry with precision agriculture, according to Northbridge Consultants. The market value of precision agriculture in Canada reached $870 million in 2021. Precision agriculture refers to a suite of farm management technologies, as well as data and analytics used to increase efficiency, production, and sustainability, according to CIBC Thought Leadership. Tools include GPS, sensors, robotics, drones, autonomous vehicles, and software. van de Pol wants to build on top of advancements made on farms. 'In the 90s, there was precision agriculture then we moved on to have pedometers, because, you might know this, but most cows actually wear kind of like a Fitbit, so that you know how many steps they take,' said van de Pol. 'We moved on into the AI age, but we need to continue, especially in Canada, all of these efficiencies in order to be able to provide the amazing, nutritious food that we provide for everybody every day.' van de Pol grew up in a rural community before beginning her career in computer engineering and data analytics at large multinational companies. She later became a large-animal veterinarian. She created the company combining her passion for technology and veterinary medicine. Her company employees about 12 to 14 people depending on the season to help farmers run a farm while understanding the challenges farmers face. 'In order to run a farm like the actual people, they have to understand animal biology,' said van de Pol. 'They have to run a business. They have to be able to service equipment and run equipment. There's so much knowledge to this but then the workers themselves too, have to understand everything tied to animal husbandry.' Farmers must also abide by strict protocols. Dairy Farmers of Canada, a national policy, lobbying, and promotional organization representing Canadian dairy producers, developed proAction, a national quality assurance program for the Canadian dairy sector. The program is mandated on all Canadian dairy farms. 'There's really strict protocols,' said van de Pol. 'In Canada, we have something called proAction that is kind of like the way that there's a food inspection, we have that for dairy farms. There's so much knowledge that goes into running one of these operations, it's probably one of the most difficult types of farming out there'.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Daily Mail
Former Carlton player is slapped with 10-year ban from owning cattle after pleading guilty to shocking animal cruelty charges
A former football player has been banned from owning cattle for 10 years after he pleaded guilty to 72 charges of animal cruelty and neglect. Joseph Dare, 33, joined the Carlton Football Club during the 2010 Rookie Draft but would never make a first-grade appearance for the club. The dairy farmer, who lives in Victoria, was convicted and was also fined $75,000 for the offences, which were described by Magistrate Franz Holzer as 'one of the worst examples of animal neglect that I have seen'. A well-known footballer among the Victorian local leagues, Dare had first faced 33 charges of animal cruelty in September. Further charges came in April, with 13 aggravated animal cruelty offences and 16 animal cruelty charges for alleged offending being made against the ex-footballer. The incidents were said to have occurred between July 2022 and January 2024. The Colac Magistrates Court heard accounts of how livestock had both suffered and died on his Dreeite farm. Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action prosecutor Scott Ward told the court that his farm had been visited by officers from Agriculture Victoria on multiple occasions during that period. He presented photographs to the court, while detailing graphic incidents where cattle had suffered or died on Dare's farm. The charges levied included allegations that Dare had not provided appropriate care, treatment or attention to the animals and had also failed to provide his livestock with sufficient food. Ward explained that cattle were found to have body score conditions of 0-1. Some of the animals were suffering from issues including lung disease, pneumonia, starvation, dehydration and trauma. Speaking to the court, he said one officer had described the cows as 'walking skeletons and still had calves suckling from them.' Officers found a total of 170 animals on the farm, however, 45 had to be euthanised. Dare was charged with in relation to breaches of Victoria's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986. During sentencing, Magistrate Holzer described Dare's farm as 'animal killing fields'. 'He got animals that were unwell and then neglected them even further … that's just shameful, shameful,' the magistrate explained. After leaving Carlton, Dare, who is the son of a dairy farmer, moved to play football for the Northern Bullants in 2011 and again moved to Cobden in 2012. After hanging up his footy boots, Dare took up a coaching role at Alvie, going on to help the side win a premiership. Dare told police that his business had grown from 200 milking cows to 2,000, the court was told. He had just one farmhand after losing multiple members of staff back in 2023. But Magistrate Holzer believed that his background in farming should have meant that Dare was better able to care for his animals. 'It's such a significant departure from the standards expected,' Holzer added. 'He was growing his business too quickly, he didn't have the financial capacity … It seems to me he was out of his depth, well and truly.' Dare had been farming in the Nalangil district, 15km from Colac.
ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
Farmer Joseph Dare banned from owning cattle after animal cruelty case
A Victorian dairy farmer and former livestock agent has been banned from owning cattle for 10 years, after being convicted and fined $75,000 for extensive animal cruelty offences. Joseph William Dare, 33, pleaded guilty in Colac Magistrates Court on Monday to 72 charges of animal cruelty and neglect. Mr Dare is a Western District dairy farmer and a well-known local footballer who was drafted to the Carlton AFL Football Club in 2009. The court heard detailed and graphic accounts of cattle that suffered or died on Mr Dare's farm between July 2022 and January 2024. Prosecutor Scott Ward said officers from Agriculture Victoria visited Mr Dare's property in Dreeite multiple times over 19 months. He told the court they found cows, calves and bulls that were dead or slowly dying of emaciation, disease and dehydration. A total of 170 animals were found dead and 45 had to be euthanased. The court heard that during the visits, officers discovered a bull that was so sick and skinny it could not get off the ground and a cow and calf that died alone during a difficult calving. Mr Ward said officers also reported that "some cows [were] considered walking skeletons and still had calves suckling from them". In August 2023, a black heifer was found with a bullet wound to its head, but it was still alive, after a "failed" attempt at euthanasia by Mr Dare. Mr Dare was charged under Victoria's Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986. Magistrate Franz Holzer described Mr Dare's farm as "animal killing fields". "He got animals that were unwell and then neglected them even further … that's just shameful, shameful," Magistrate Holzer said. He said the $75,000 fine imposed on Mr Dare was the "highest" compared to other recent cases. "I've been doing this job for a long time, including in regional Victoria, and this is one of the worst examples of animal neglect and cruelty that I have seen," Magistrate Holzer said. As well as the fine, Mr Holzer banned him from owning or being in charge of cattle for 10 years. In that time, an authorised government department inspector will monitor Mr Dare. In sentencing, Magistrate Holzer said Mr Dare's background and experience should have meant he understood how to look after animals. "It's such a significant departure of the standards expected," he said. Mr Dare's defence barrister, Gregory Lascaris told the court that caring for the cattle became "too much" for his client. He said it was a "perfect storm" for Mr Dare, who was recovering from injuries sustained in a truck crash, as well as dealing with a drop in livestock prices and challenging weather. He acknowledged that these issues did not excuse the deaths of the cattle or the state they were in and said Mr Dare accepted responsibility. Agriculture Victoria's animal health and welfare compliance manager Daniel Bode said he was pleased with the outcome, particularly the ban. "The accused has demonstrated he was not a fit and proper person to care for cattle, and this order goes about preventing any further cruelty," he said. Mr Bode said the case had been extremely difficult and harrowing for the Agriculture Victoria officers involved. "There's nothing more confronting than having to see this sort of stuff repeated," he said. "The result today gives a level of comfort to our staff that this person will not be responsible for any further cruelty in the preceding 10 years."
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Hot weather for some Cornwall farmers has been 'insane'
A dairy farmer in south-west England has said the recent hot weather means she has had to keep her cows inside a shed during the day. Kate Hoare, from Tideford, Cornwall, said there was not a lot of moisture in the ground, which had impacted the said the warm weather was beautiful but had reached "a point where the heat got rather extreme and things started to struggle".Ms Hoare told BBC Radio Cornwall the warm weather had impacted milk yield as cows were putting more energy into trying to cool down rather than producing milk. "A cow's ideal temperature is about five degrees [Celsius], we've been up to 33C, it's insane," she said. "I'm actually just putting cows out now for a couple of hours, they'll go out and graze what grass is there and then they'll come in by sort of 10 o'clock and then they'll spend the rest of the day in the shed." Jo and Derek Jenkin, the Landrivick Herd Manaccan, attended the Liskeard Show on Saturday as well as the Stithians Show on Jenkin said: "It's not affected us down here too badly, I think it's affected farmers up the country more. We've had a bit of rain that kept the grass growing and we've done a good lot of silage." Hills 'burned up' Michelle Burley-Hodge also attended Stithians Show with her Mangalitsa pigs, which she has had in Cornwall for 17 years."The Mangalitsas, these ones are out all year round and we tend to have a lot of wallow," she said. "So we just dig a big patch of earth up, fill it with water and just keep it submerged in water all the time and they can get themselves in it. And it works as a sun cream and they keep themselves cooled off." James Moon, a sheep farmer from Liskeard said: "The hills are quite burned up, we've been lucky we've just had these odd showers overnight and this morning to keep some moisture in it."I think it's a matter of trying to alleviate that. Maybe digging a few ponds out and collecting a bit more water in the winter." On Monday, the Met Office warned the UK was breaking heat and rainfall records increasingly frequently as its climate continued to country's changing weather patterns mean the UK now experiences a "notably different" climate to what it was just a few decades ago, its State of the UK Climate report says.
Times
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Why I played my saxophone to Baileys Irish Cream cows
From the time dairy farmer Joe Hayden was a child, he knew that music played a powerful role in helping his cows produce top-quality milk. For years the gravelly voice of Bruce Springsteen and bands such as Coldplay have been credited with helping to make the cream used in Baileys, one of Ireland's most recognisable exports. Twice a day at the family farm near Tinahely in Co Wicklow, Hayden's 230 'Baileys ladies' expect their favourite tunes to be delivered to them via Spotify. In addition, each one is equipped with a personalised Fitbit around their necks to monitor their health and wellbeing. In short, they are among Ireland's most pampered cows, and must be kept happy and well fed at all times to deliver a product that's a cut above their bovine counterparts.
