Mark W. Mayer, Dairy & Livestock
Agent, Green County
David W. Kammel, Biological
Engineering, UW-Madison
Wisconsin Dairy
Modernization Survey
UW-Extension
2008

30 Counties
Represented
104 Surveys
Received
99 Surveys In Data
Set

Pre
Modernization
82 Herd Size (Milk Cows)
Average Milk Production
/Cow
Acres of Land Owned
19,601 lbs.
351
Acres of Land Rented 187
Acres/Cow (owned & rented) 6.56
Full Time Labor Equivalents for Dairy
Milk Cows per F.T.E.
2.34
35 50
Post
Modernization
203
20,941 lbs.
421
308
3.59
4.32

Milking Stall Type
Flat Barn Herringbone Parabone Parallel Rotary
2 8
11
30
40 n = 91

n = 89 n = 91

Labor Supplied for
Parlors
Farmer Contractor
63%
37%
Average Time For Parlor
Conversion:
17 weeks
Range of Time to Convert:
4 to 104 Weeks

New Construction vs. Retrofit
New Parlors Retrofit Parlors
Farmer Contractor
Farmer Contractor
76%
24%
55%
45%

10
5
0
20
15
Construction Time
Weeks
4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 104
Weeks

R etrofit C ons truc tion
S tall T ype
11
F lat B arn
Herring bone
P arabone
P arallel
6
8
18
New C ons truc tion S tall
T ype
Herring bone
P arabone
P arallel
R otary
3
3
10
30 n = 55 n = 34

2008 Dollars
Parlor
Stall Type
Flat barn
Herringbone
Parabone
Parallel
Retrofit
Construction (n=55)
$3,360
(n=6)
$9,657
(n=8)
$3,845
(n=30)
$7,478
(n=11)
New Construction n= 34
NA
$18,769
(n=3)
$6,016
(n= 10)
$22,361
(n=18)

16
1
11
4 6
19
21
2 row FS barn
3 row FS barn
4 row FS barn
6 row FS barn
8 row FS barn
Bedded pack barn
Compost bedded barn n = 78

Manure Handling System
Skid Steer /Tractor Scrape
Automatic Scraper
Flush
Other
87 n = 107
8
11
1
Manure Storage
Daily Haul
Short Term Storage
Long Term Storage
29
52
31 n = 112

n = 77 n = 101

n = 101 n = 86

Since 1993 (2008 Dollars)
• Milking Parlor Facility
– $17,144,281
• Dairy Cow Housing
– $30,529,855
• Dry Cow Housing
– $1,722,057
• Heifer Housing
– $1,610,210
• Calf Housing
– $1,480,703
• TMR Feeding
– $1,981,566
• Feed Storage
– $4,153,360
• Manure handling
– $2,149,120
• Manure Storage
– $4,536,318
• Total Investment for 99 farms in Survey
$65,307,470

Change
Milk Cows
Pre
Modernization
Post
Modernization
7,923 19,689 +11,766
Ave. Herd Size 82 203 +121
Total Annual
Milk Production
Ave. Production per Cow (lbs)
Dry Cows
160,401,113 (lbs) 426,936,276 (lbs) +266,535,163
20,245
1,197
21,684
2,920
+1,439
+1,723
Heifers
Calves
4,307
2,320
10,207
5,868
+5,900
+3,548

Modernization Economic Impacts
Change Dollar Impact
Average Increased Milk
Income per Cow
+1,439 lbs x $17/cwt
Ave. Increased Gross
Milk Income per Farm
Increased Local
Economic Impact from more cows/farm
Increased Annual Milk
Income for the State
203 cows @ 21684 x .17= $748,315
82 cows @ 20245 x .17 =- $282,215
121 cows x **$17,000
+266,535,163 lbs. x 99 farms x $.17
Economic Impact from more Cows in the State
+11,766 cows x $17,000
**UW Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics
= $245
= $466,099
= $2.06 Million
= *$44.8 Million
= *$200 Million
* Total for 99 Herds

5
0
15
10
25
20
Mean = 22.7 cows/person/hour
Std Dev =11.56
PRE
POST
Mean = 44.1 cows/person/hour
Std Dev = 19.79
Change = 21.4 cows/person/hour
P = 0.000
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
Cows Milked/Person/Hour

Pre and Post Labor Requirements
Average Per Cow/Day
2
1.59
Pre Modernization
Post Modernization
1 0.65
0.72
0.49
0.79
0.4
0
**Feeding Milk Cows *Handling Cows **Handling Manure
**P= <.001 *P= <.01

Pre and Post Labor Requirements
Average Per Cow/Day
4.07
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
2.09
0.8
0.32
0.51 0.32
**Milking
Pre Modernization
Post Modernization
**Maintaining Stalls *Milking Setup/Cleanup
**P= <.001 *P= <.01

Reduced Labor Requirements
Minutes Per
Cow / Day
Milking Setup/Cleanup .19 x 365
Total Reduction
Per Cow / Year
=1.16 hours
Milking Time 1.98 x 365
Feeding Time per Cow .94 x 365
=12.05
= 5.72 hours
Handling Cows
Maintaining Stalls
Handling Manure
.26 x 365
.48 x 365
.39 x 365
= 1.58 hours
= 2.92 hours
= 2.37 hours
Totals: 4.24 minutes/Day 25.80 hours/Year

Economic Impacts from Reduced
Labor Per Cow
Reduction/Cow/Year Dollar Impact
Milking Setup/Cleanup 1.16 hours @ $12/Hour =$13.92
Milking Time 12.05 hours @$12/Hour =144.60
Feeding Time per Cow 5.72 hours @ $12/Hour = $68.64
Time Handling Cows 1.58 hours @ $12/Hour = $18.96
Maintaining Stalls 2.92 hours @ $12/Hour = $35.04
Handling Manure 2.37 hours @ $12/Hour = $28.44
Totals: 25.80 Hours/Cow/Year $309.60/Cow/Year

Overall Cow Health
Less Feet & Leg
Problems
Lower SCC
Increased Production
Lower Culling Rate
Increase Conception
Rates
74%
73%
66%
85%
82%
78%

Overall Cow Health
Less Feet & Leg Problems
Lower Cull Rate
Lower SCC
Increased Production
Increase Conception
Rates
3
Less Important
3.5
4
4.65
4.86
4.58
4.34
4.53
4.27
4.5
5 5.5
6
More Important

Reduced Labor Per Cow
Improved Working
Conditions for Milkers
Improved Health/Safety of Workers
Allowed Business to
Continue
Increased Profitability
Provided Entry for Next
Generation
Increased Family Time
96%
93%
88%
86%
82%
80%
78%

Improved Working
Condition for Milkers
Improved Health and
Safety for Workers
Allowed Dairy to
Continue
Provided Entry for
Future Generation
Reduced Labor Per
Cow
Increased Profitability
Increased Family Time
3 4
4.61
4.92
4.85
5.26
5.16
5.13
5.1
5 6

Educational Resources Used
V is iting Othe r
Far m s /Tour s
Exte ns ion
M e e tings /Se m inar s
Far m V is it by
County Age nt
M agazine s and
Ne w s pape r s
Far m V is it by UW
State Spe cialis t
Far m Show s
U.W. Publications ,
Ne w s le tte r s , CD's
Phone /Em ail
CountyAge nt
Phone /Em ail State
Spe cialis t 46%
86%
73%
67%
65%
64%
86%
81%
99%

Ranking of Educational Resources
Visiting Other Farm s/Tours
5.48
Farm Visit by UW State Specialist
Farm Visit by County Agent
U.W. Sem inars and Meetings
Phone/Em ail to State Specialist/Co Agent
UW Publications and CD's
Farm Show s
Magazines and New papers
4.12
4.00
4.62
4.52
4.42
3.94
3.91
3 3.5
4 4.5
5 5.5
6

Professional Resources Used
UW-Extension Agent/Specialist
Milk Equipm ent Dealer
Other Dairy Producers
Builder/Contractor
Ag Lender
Veterinarian
Nutritionist
Financial Consultant
Professional Design Consultant
33%
30%
66%
64%
76%
93%
89%
86%
85%

Ranking of Professional Resources
Other Dairy Producers
Builder/Contractor
Ag Lender
UW-Extension Agent/Specialist
Nutritionist
Milk Equipment Dealer
Financial Consultant
Veterinarian
Professional Design Consultant
3 3.5
3.53
4
4.03
4.00
4.5
4.57
4.53
4.52
4.36
4.78
4.73
5 5.5
6

UW-Extension Impacted Decisions with Dairy Modernization
Yes
No n = 99
22%
78%
Average Planning Time:
23.02 Months
Range: 3-120 Months

How Did UW-Extension Help?
(27) Assisted in Parlor Location and Design
(20) Organized Tours and Farm Visits to Observe Modernization on other Farms
(15) Presented new Ideas and Options for Parlor Design and Construction
(12) Design and Layout of Cow Housing Including Cow Flow and Stall size
(9) UW-Extension Dairy Modernization Presentations (Meetings and Pasture Walks)
(5) UW Publications (Low Cost Parlor CD and Retrofit Parlor Paper)
(5) Received reinforcement of ideas and plans
(4) Assisted in the Permitting Process
(4) Assisted in Preparing Budget for Modernization Project
(3) Assisted in Manure Handling and Storage plans
(3) County Agents and State Specialists answered all our questions
(3) Assistance with Ventilation
117 Responses

How Could Assistance from UW-
Extension be Improved ?
87
Don't Know/ No Response
Were so Helpful
Keep Doing what your doing
Bring real life dairy experience
2
More awareness of expanding dairies in the area
Work with NRSC and Government to speed up grant processes
2
2
3
3 n = 99

Biggest Challenge in Modernization
(16) Working with the Contractors/Serving as General Contractor
(10) Deciding what system & number of cows would work best for my farm
(10) Budgeting & Financing for Expenses
(8) Milking in Existing Facilities During Construction
(8) Design of Milking Facility & Housing
(6) Cost Over runs
(5) Finding Good & Knowledgeable Contractor
(4) Manure Storage & Handling
(4) Confidence & Motivation to do it
(3) Permitting Process for Building/Expanding
(3) Getting Honest Opinions from Equipment Dealers
(3) Did too much of my own labor
(3) Changing the Management System of Feeding/Breeding/Housing

What Would You Change?
(14) Wish we would have done the expansion sooner.
(11) Wish we would have made the parlor/freestalls bigger
(6) Start expansion at another site to allow for additional future expansions
(5) Spend more time planning and seeking help in design
(4) Start with new building and equipment right away
(4) Would not start building in the fall, start earlier in the year
(4) Design of Parlor
(3) Add a dry cow and calving facility
(3) Change from mattresses to sand for bedding
(3) Hire a more experienced and honest contractor

Would You Still be in the Dairy
Business if you had not
Modernized?
46%
54%
Yes No n = 94

Dair y 20
20
NRC
S
Lan d Co nser va...
MVP
FSA
Loa n
Gro w W
I
Foc us o n En ergy
WHED
A
Allia nt G rant
Joh nes
Gran t
0
2
2
5
4
5
5
8
13
25
27
27
30
30
10 15 20
Number of Producers
35

Questions!