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FACT
Some cows naturally produce milk with the A2 version of beta-casein rather than A1. Some studies suggest that this A2 milk can have a bene cial impact on human gut health, making it popular with people who have gastrointestinal sensitivities to regular dairy milk on the market. A few dairies in Canada have started selling this type of milk to meet consumer demand.
Female dairy calves in front of hutches
Calf hutches
Katelyn Thom
Career Pro le
Organic Dairy Farmer
Sarah Yoder
Ninety years ago, Bradner Farms, near Abbotsford, British Columbia, milked cows by hand, shipped milk in cans, and transported goods by horse and buggy. Today the farm, renamed Golden Gate Farms in 2014, is run by fourth generation farmers Sarah and Bud Yoder and utilizes robots to help milk and feed their herd. The farm has been certi ed organic since 1998 and was the rst farm in western Canada to ship organic milk.
Each cow wears a high-tech tracker (sort of like
a Fitbit) that monitors their activity, including rumination, how much they have eaten and how many steps they have taken. It is also synced with the robotic milker to record milk production and quality. All of this data can tell the Yoders how healthy each animal is, or alert them if one of the cows needs special care or attention.
“On an organic farm, we have fewer options if a cow was to get sick, so prevention is key,” said Yoder, “The robots tell us so much information about each animal’s health which allows us to always stay one step ahead.”
On some farms, calves live in small white structures outside the barn called “hutches” in the rst few weeks of life, while their immune systems aren’t yet fully developed. This separation is to protect them against bacteria and germs, and to make sure they get
a strong, healthy start until they are big enough to move from the hutches into group housing with other calves. Once they’re old enough, the females will have calves of their own and become part of the farm’s milking herd.
The real deal about veal
The male offspring of dairy cows are called bull calves. They don’t produce milk, so many are raised for meat called veal. Ontario and Quebec are the largest Canadian producers
of veal because they also have the greatest number of dairy farms. Holsteins are the most common breed of veal cattle. They grow quickly, are well-muscled, and very lean.
Grain-fed veal cattle are raised on a mainly milk-based diet until they’re six to eight weeks old, before transitioning to a balanced ration based on grain and pellets made of protein, vitamins, and minerals. They reach market weight around 348 kilograms (769 pounds).
Milk-fed veal cattle are raised mainly on a milk-based diet, with some grain and bre included in the ration. They’re ready for market once they weigh approximately 250 kilograms (550 pounds).
Veal cattle are raised in group housing with other veal cattle of a similar age. They are housed in well-ventilated barns, and are bedded with straw or wood shavings so they stay clean, dry, and comfortable. Research is ongoing into many aspects of veal production, especially health and welfare of the animals.
In some parts of Canada, dairy steers (castrated bulls) are more commonly raised in feedlots for beef production.
Veal cattle in group housing
Chapter 3: Farm Animals 19
Veal Farmers of Ontario