Division of Extension
Fiber in the diet provides an important role in rumen function and digestive health. The varying levels of digestibility of fiber are due, in part, to differences in the amount of lignin, the part of the plant cell wall that provides the plant rigidity.
In this insightful webinar, gain a comprehensive understanding of how these practices can significantly enhance efficiency in the milking parlor and beyond.
Kent Weigel, Professor and Chair of the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin – Madison Division of Extension, presents on current research on the day-to-day consistency of dry matter intake, milk yield, and the genetics behind it.
In this video Michaela Clowser, Tammy Vaassen and Bill Halfman discuss the 2022 NCBA Quality audit results with dairy and beef producers.
Forage testing has the potential to allow you to more effectively utilize your forages. Using test results can help you realize more pounds of milk from your cows by helping you decide where to best use your forages and how to complement them in your ration. Using forage testing is a relatively inexpensive way to maximize your efficient use of forage.
Advances in dairy genetic research have created an ever-increasing amount of information for dairy farmers to take into consideration for sire selection. Dairy sire proofs contain a mix of numbers, acronyms, and other terminology. This reference guide covers common sire proof information and what it means.
In this UW-Madison Extension Dairy Program webinar, Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences Lactation Physiology Professor Laura Hernandez discusses calcium metabolism in the mammary gland, the physiology during the transition period, and other things the mammary gland needs to thrive.
The Council for Dairy Cattle Breeding releases updated dairy sire summaries in April, August, and December. The science of sire summaries has changed in recent years. More traits, especially for health, longevity, and efficiency can now be evaluated and included for selection.
In this recorded Badger Dairy Insight webinar, UW-Madison Division of Extension Farm Management Outreach Specialist Jim Versweyveld discusses onboarding and training for dairy employees and discusses how interactive learning experiences can help build confidence by allowing dairy workers to actively participate in their own training.
Handling cows is necessary to harvest milk and provide animal care, but these interactions also present a risk of injury to personnel. Inappropriate cow handling threatens animal welfare, milk production, and public trust in dairy farming. But how can the industry best teach these skills? Interactive learning experiences can help build confidence by allowing dairy workers to actively participate in their own training.
An alternative to this is indoor calf housing, where renovated old barns can be utilized, taking advantage of the existing structure. Adapting an old building to house calves involves several steps:
The contribution of the dairy production system to climate change is small compared to electricity generation or transportation. The U.S. EPA’s 2022 report showed that the contribution of the agriculture sector to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S was around 10% on a million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMtCO2e) basis in 2020 (Figure 1), and about 39.5% of this 10% is represented by livestock methane emissions from the enteric fermentation and manure management.
