NEWS

The Semex Alliance introduced its 2012-2013 Board of Directors. Gary Bowers, Centre d’insémination artificielle du Québec (CIAQ), will serve as president and chairman of the Board, assisted by Executive members Ken Massie, Westgen, and Norm McNaughton, EastGen, serving as vice president.

Other Board of Director members include: Tim Hofstra, Westgen; Guy Lavoie, CIAQ; Normand Barriault, CIAQ; Robert Wright, EastGen; Warren MacIntosh, EastGen; Léonard Chabot, CIAQ; and the newest member of the Board, Gerrit Wensink, EastGen.

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) announced the finalists for the new Dairy Farm Sustainability Award, which is sponsored by Lely Canada.

“This Award recognizes farms with innovative practices that go beyond industry standards and generally recommended practices to reduce their environmental footprint,” said Wally Smith, DFC president. “While this is the first year DFC offers a sustainability award, sustainable dairy practices are not new. They’ve been passed on by generations of farmers who learn more everyday and do a better job with each passing day.”

Holstein Canada announced a new genomic (DNA) testing service available to Holstein breeders. In the past, genomic testing was only available for animals registered in the Association Herdbook. GenoID combines genomic testing with Herdbook registration to provide a convenient one-step process for parentage discovery and genetic evaluation.

The Semex Alliance and Holstein Canada are again sponsoring a young adult exchange program along with their Australian counterparts, Semex Pty. Ltd and the Victorian Branch of the Holstein-Friesian Association of Australia.

This program offers a young Canadian the opportunity to experience the Australian and New Zealand dairy industry firsthand, and an Australian or New Zealand youth to travel to Canada and gain insight into our Canadian dairy industry.

Patz Corporation has expanded its vertical mixer series with two new additions.

3600 Series II Triple Screw Vertical Mixer
With a mixing capacity of 1,400-1,580 cu. ft. (39.6-44.7 m3), this huge mixer is the largest in the series.