Flock Talk

On this episode, Erin and Walker are joined by three members of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP), Lindsay Dykeman, Andrew Munro, and Michael Barun who recently completed a project exploring how the Ontario sheep industry can work toward supplying 50% of the domestic demand for lamb by 2040. They discuss their findings, the challenges faced by producers and the opportunities for...

We're delighted to have Brent Herrington of Herrington's Quality Butchers back on the podcast to discuss what consumers really want and how producers can deliver it. Brent shares how his years of experience on a dairy farm and working as a butcher have shaped the way he looks at lamb production and talks about what today's consumers are really looking for when buying lamb as well as some misconcep...

This week we have Bill McCutcheon joining Flock Talk to discuss how carcass-based marketing works for Ontario lamb producers. Bill talks about his business and his role on Ontarios lamb industry. Bill talks about the various options available to Ontario sheep producers for marketing lambs and where his program fits. Bill shares what the qualifications are for new producers with market-ready lamb t...

This week we're joined by Yaser Al Qayem from Blue Lakes Premium Meets also known as Park Hill Meats to talk about their recent transition to federal inspection and how it's given them grated access to the Ontario lamb market. Yaser shares what federal inspection allows them to do that wasn't possible as a provincially inspected plant and talks about their plan to access new international market o...

This week we're delighted to have Denise Bonin-Mount on Flock Talk. Denise is a first-generation with a ton of experience and was recently featured as part of the Canadian Agriculture International Year of the Woman Farmer campaign. Denise shares her untraditional story from traveling the world to farming which she got into later on in her life. Denise talks about getting started with livestock, g...

Julianna Tindall is a masters student with the University of Guelph and joins the podcast to discuss her research project, looking at how grazing cover crops with sheep or beef cattle effects soil health and the yield of the following crop on Ontario farms. Julianna shares some surprise findings in her research and reveals some of the biggest opportunities for sheep farmers using this system. Juli...

Bill Costanzo is an extension program specialist for The Livestock Guardian Dog Program at Texas A&M and joins Flock Talk to discuss livestock guardian dogs and tracking devices. Bill talks about his research with GPS collars, how they work, their effectiveness and shares some of his biggest insights gained from GPS E-fence and tracking collars that producers may not expect. Bill also discusse...

Richard Ehrhardt joins Flock Talk to discuss replacement ewe lambs and reproductive success in accelerated flocks. Richard shares some of his background career history, what an accelerated production is, and why more producers are interested in this model. Richard shares some of the biggest factors to evaluate before deciding whether or not to breed replacement ewe lambs, what separates ewe lambs...

This week, we're joined by Gordon Schroeder, former executive director of the Saskachewan Sheep Development Board. Gord talks about his recent retirement, reflects on his career over the years and shares some memorable moments. Gord shares how the industry has changed and some of the successes he's proud of that have helped move the industry forward. Gord addresses how he approaches the way his or...

Delma Kennedy shares some of her industry experience and expertise as a sheep specialist to help producers set their newborn lambs up for success. Delma talks about how much of a lambs success is determined prior to birth and the critical things she looks for in the first few minutes after the lamb is born to help ensure its success. She discusses importance of body condition scoring, colostrum qu...

Dr. Charlotte Winder joins Flock Talk to discuss colostrum and early life health in sheep. Charlotte gives an overview of her job, her research program, projects and what lead her to focus on colostrum and early life health in sheep. Charlotte goes in depth to discuss a current research project on the impact of transfer of passive immunity and the various assessments made on farm for better growth...

Eastern Ontario Veterinarian Heather Aitken brings a wealth of information to Flock Talk this week to talk about lamb mortality. Heather shares first steps of investigating and understanding the cause of a lamb loss, common causes, and warning signs that producers might be missing leading up to a loss. Heather also shares how she distinguishes between losses driven my disease versus other factors...

This week we're thrilled to have Mike Draper join us on Flock Talk. Mike is an Ontario Farmer and a senior manager at Animal Welfare Services (AWS). Mike shares his extensive work history and what lead him to his role at AWS. Mike breaks down the role of AWS in Ontario, the role of an inspector, farmers' rights, the reason for inspection, assessing animals and the process of seizing animals plus m...

Ontario producer, Phil Botden joins Flock Talk this week to talk all about his confinement-based lambing system. Phil shares why he chose confinement lambing, his process and some of the biggest misconceptions about the system. Phil also dives into managing barn environment and biosecurity and what he's watching for when checking on his lambing ewes plus much more! For more OSF content, follow us...

This week we sit down with the farmer behind Ewe-Nique Dairy Inc. and part of Mark Martin Dairy Sheep in Drayton, Ontario to learn about his farm and get caught up with what's been going on at the Dairy Sheep Cooperative. Mark discusses what's been working, demand from processors, consumer interest, challenges they're facing and where the co-op is headed next, priorities and plans for the future....

Ontario Sheep Farmers Chris and Jen Vervoort share how they got into sheep farming and why they decided to start synchronizing their flock. They break down the two different systems to synchronizing sheep, the products used and the benefits of having the data to optimize the genetics of their flock. They give an overview of the advantages and benefits as well as the risks and downsides of synchron...

Emily Zur Linden shares her journey to becoming a veterinarian and how she became a specialist in ewe health and reproduction and the work she does with producers and students. Emily goes in depth into pregnancy toximea and early signs producers should looks for plus nutrition and best feeding practices when different ewes are carrying different amounts of lambs. Emily recommends additional manage...

Our first ever podcast guest, Dr. Emma Borkowski from the University of Guelph, returns to share updates on her latest research on parasites in sheep including her most important findings and tons more information that can help farmers better manage parasites within their flock. For more OSF content, follow us on Social Media Instagram & Facebook: @OntarioSheepFarmers X : @OntarioSheep and Vis...

Amherst Island producer, Mark Ritchie talks about Footflats Farm, why he chose pasture lambing and some of the biggest factors influencing survival in their pasture-based lambing system. Mark discusses pre-lambing management, maintaining healthy body condition of the ewes and strategies used to navigate cold, wet and windy weather during lambing. Mark also shares some of the more common causes of...

We're joined by Heather Thoma from Farms at Work, an organization based in East Central Ontario that helps farmers and land owners connect, manage land responsibly and strengthen local food systems. Heather shares how Farms at Work got started, how she got involved and the challenges the organization is addressing. Heather also discusses how Farms at Work helps people find land, how they engage wi...

Shawn Chadwick gives an overview of Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) and its operations, explaining that it is a not-for-profit organization focused on helping businesses create safer and healthier workplaces, with a strong presence in agriculture by offering tools, training, and expert advice to prevent injuries and meet compliance without stress. Shawn addresses common risks and...

Derk Maat, CEO and President at SciCorp International and Matthew Rowe, CEO for the Campaign for Wool discuss their product, SciCorp BIOLOGIC™ which is an eco-friendly industrial odour control and sludge reduction solution that improves waste water treatment and environmental performance across the agricultural sector and beyond. Derk shares how their products benefit sheep farmers strug...

Dr. Gregory Aitken discussed the benefits of Solvet's Lidobands for pain management in sheep during castration and tail docking. These bands, which contain lidocaine, provide local anesthesia, reducing pain and stress. Aitken highlighted the importance of minimizing stress in sheep, noting that chronic stress can weaken their immune systems. He also mentioned Metacam, an anti-i...

Brent Patterson from the Ministry of Natural Resources discusses coyote behaviour and management and explains their range expansion due to human activities and their presence in various parts of North America. Brent explains coyotes' coursing predator behaviour and their familiarity with their territory, including farms and potential vulnerabilities. Brent shares tips that farmers can use to...

Dr. Ali Dehghantanha discussed the growing cybersecurity risks for farmers and the potential impact of cyber attacks on farm operations, emphasizing the vulnerability of digital tools like automated feeding systems and animal health monitors. He highlighted that 80% of farms lack adequate security measures, making them easy targets for attacks. Dr. Ali shared a case where a ransomware attack on a...