Category: Dairy
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Posted on September 4, 2020
Composting Manure and Bedding Reduces Potential Soil and Phosphorus Loss (CIAS Research Brief 102)
Fertilizing fields with manure from dairy farms can contribute to elevated levels of phosphorus in waterways. Researchers at UW-Madison hypothesized that composting manure before spreading […]
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Posted on June 2, 2020
Dairy Supply Management: Presentation by Torsten Hemme
Dr. Hemme discusses approaches to balancing supply and demand, both in short-term, emergency situations and at the longer-term, structural level.
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Posted on August 27, 2019
How Does Organic Management on Dairy Farms Affect Pastures and Soils?
UW-Madison researchers explored whether limitations on the inputs allowed in organic farming may result in differences in plant-soil dynamics compared to conventional dairy operations, necessitating different grazing techniques. They found relevant scientific literature to be scarce.
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Posted on March 28, 2019
Comparing Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Dairy Systems (CIAS Research Brief #101)
When researchers at UW-Madison compared greenhouse gas emissions of several different dairy farming systems in Wisconsin, they found that emissions were broadly similar between grazing and confinement dairies.
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Posted on May 3, 2018
Analysis of Water Quality Impact of Windrow Composting
Composting is an ancient and cost-effective way to speed the decomposition of manure by piling it in rows and turning it regularly to aerate. For the last two years, three members of Yahara Pride Farms have been working with UW-Madison to determine whether composting can lead to reductions in phosphorus (P) runoff loads from their farms.
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Posted on February 28, 2017
Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2017 Status Report
Wisconsin is a national leader in organic agriculture. Wisconsin had 1,334 organic farms in 2015, nearly doubling over the last 10 years. This puts our state in a good position to participate in the growing market for organic food, both in the U.S. and across the globe.
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Posted on September 15, 2015
Potential carbon sequestration and forage gains with management-intensive rotational grazing (Research Brief #95)
Do pastures under management-intensive rotational grazing (MIRG) differ from grasslands under other management in terms of forage quality and quantity, carbon sequestration and biological soil activity? Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison set out to answer these questions and discover some of the reasons behind differences in pasture productivity.
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Posted on March 14, 2014
Whole-Farm Modeled Phosphorus Loss Low on Grazing Dairy Farms (Research Brief #94)
Because agriculture is a major nonpoint phosphorus pollution source, there is strong interest in identifying and managing farm sources of phosphorus runoff. On dairy farms, possible sources of this runoff include cropland, grazed pastures, and outside cattle holding areas such as barnyards and overwintering lots. A new study based on modeled data for four dairy farms that use managed grazing found that these farms have very low phosphorus losses on a whole farm basis.
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Posted on February 26, 2014
Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2014 UW-Madison Research Report
This report summarizes 23 studies conducted by researchers in the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) in partnership with farmers across the state. Those studies look at production practices for the state’s main agricultural products as well as farm management and marketing.
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Posted on January 28, 2014
Above- and below-ground grass growth responds to grazing management (Research Brief 91)
How is grass productivity above and below ground affected by grazing at different heights or by leaving different residuals after grazing? A study at UW-Madison found no simple answer to this question. Productivity of pasture grasses varies across grazing management strategies and species.