Dairy producers and industry professionals can discover the secrets of nine of Wisconsin's high-producing dairies in the 100-Pound Dairy Facilities Tours, October 23-25, hosted by Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW).
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Each facility on the tours was designed with cow comfort in mind to enable cows to achieve milk production of 100 pounds per cow per day or higher. Dr. Nigel Cook of the University of Wisconsin's School of Veterinary Medicine will share his expertise as he guides these tours. Both new and retrofitted facilities will be highlighted.

The 100-Pound Dairy Facilities Tours are three separate one-day tours, and attendees can sign up for one, two or three days of learning and networking.

Day 1 – Tuesday, October 23, will focus on facilities with less than 500 cows. Charter buses will leave the Clarion Hotel, 2110 Rimrock Road, Madison, Wis. and visit the following dairies:
· Kellercrest Registered Holsteins Inc., Mount Horeb, Wis., where the move to updated facilities has boosted production and cow longevity;

· Mystic Valley Dairy, Sauk City, Wis., where modifying facilities is a contributing factor to their success in breeding high-type cattle with longevity and profitable production;

· Sunburst Dairy Inc., Belleville, Wis., where modernizing facilities created a jump in production, healthier cows and less stress for the owners.

Day 2 – Wednesday, October 24, will focus on facilities with 1,000 cows or more. Charter buses will leave the Clarion Hotel, 2110 Rimrock Road, Madison, Wis. and visit the following dairies:
· Majestic View Dairy, Lancaster, Wis., where expansion incorporated labor savings, cow comfort and improvements to keep the dairy environmentally friendly;

· Darlington Ridge Farms, Darlington, Wis., where a 2008 expansion took cow comfort "to the next level";

· Larson Acres, Evansville, Wis., where a 2010 expansion enhanced cow comfort, took steps to protect the environment, and made it possible for family members to be involved in the business long-term.

Day 3 – Thursday, October 25, will focus on facilities with 800 cows or more. Charter buses will leave the D.J. Bordini Center at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, Wis., and return to that location at 5 p.m. The following dairies will be visited:
· Badger Pride Dairy, Valders, Wis., where fresh cow problems dropped significantly after dry cows were moved to a new naturally-ventilated barn;

· Siemers Holstein Farm, Newton, Wis., where, among other cow comfort improvements, a new purebred center has improved cow care and a calf/heifer facility was built for the dairy's higher end young stock;

· Soaring Eagle, Newton, Wis., where new facilities placed an increased emphasis on cow comfort and ease of handling.

For more information click on PDPW's 100 Pound Dairy Tours brochure.

Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin is a dairy-producer founded organization that provides educational programs and services to fellow dairy producers. PDPW's mission is "to share ideas, solutions, resources and experiences that help dairy producers succeed."

10.12.2012