Mason Farms is located near Oak Point just off of Highway 6 in Manitoba. This farm goes back three generations when Darcy’s grandparents, Nelson and Anna Mason, started farming in 1947. Darcy’s parents, Ken and Sylvia, took over the farm in 1967. Darcy grew up on the farm helping his parents on the day-to-day aspects of the business. Darcy and his wife Lanna married in 2001, and together became part owners of the farm, eventually taking full ownership of Mason Farms in 2013. Darcy and Lanna have two children, Andrew and Laila. Andrew has graduated from high school and is pursuing post-secondary education at Lakeland college to expand his knowledge on the dairy industry. Laila has just started high school and is also passionate about the dairy industry.
In 2013, the Mason’s said farewell to the old tie-stall barn and built a brand-new robotic facility. The new barn is designed to accommodate a second robot and stall expansion if needed in the future. The current dairy cow herd is comprised of 60 milking cows, averaging 45 litres per day, 4.0 fat, 3.26 protein, and average BCA of 298, 314, and 307. The Mason’s also manage over 1000 acres of arable land, growing 800 acres of forages and 350 acres of grain.
The breeding philosophy at Mason farm has always been and always will be balanced breeding, this philosophy shows true in the herd. For classification in their herd, the Mason’s currently have 6EX, 24VG, and 36GP. They are especially proud of their two excellent Wickham daughters, pictured below. Darcy and Lanna’s passion for their dairy cattle is very evident through their avid focus on genetic selection, and their stories of great cattle entering the barn. They are very dedicated to their cows, and are constantly improving and working towards a more efficient dairy herd.
The Mason’s have also sold some good cattle to different dairy farms in Manitoba, with customers being very happy with the purchase of their animals. The farm yard and buildings at Mason Farms are very well kept and they take great pride in the curb appeal of the farm. This year’s summer has been very challenging for the Masons, experiencing unprecedented drought conditions that devastated many areas in the Western provinces. With that said, it has not discouraged them from pursuing their goals, proving the Masons to be a very resilient family.
The Masons have always been a proud supporter of the Canadian dairy industry and are a proud partner and supporter of WestGen, a Canadian farmer-owned organization. We at WestGen are very proud to have them as great members and customers!
