Attendees interact with informational displays during an open house celebrating the completion of the new welcome center and lobby at the Dairy Cattle Center at UW–Madison. Photo by Michael P. King/UW–Madison CALS
This past summer, the Buttles family from Stone-Front Farm hosted the Grant County dairy breakfast, welcoming more than 3,000 people to their farm in Lancaster, Wis. Andy Buttles has been a champion for the Dairy Innovation Hub since the early days, serving on committees, speaking at events, and even participating in on-farm research trials with faculty from UW–Platteville and UW–Madison.
At the Hub’s 2023 Dairy Summit event at UW–Platteville, Buttles spoke alongside assistant professor Ryan Pralle about a research trial on his farm aiming to diagnose Bovine Fatty Liver Syndrome using a blood panel instead of traditional liver biopsies. During his talk, he recalled fondly his time as a student at UW–Madison and a campus job he had at the Dairy Cattle Center (DCC). It was at the “DCC” that he developed an interest in on-farm research and saw first-hand the advancements made by UW faculty to benefit Wisconsin farmers.
UW–Madison’s DCC is unique because it is one of just a few working dairy farms in the country located directly on a college campus. This proximity allows for students, researchers, and visitors alike to access the facility with ease.
Speaking of visitors, the DCC is a popular tour spot for guests of all ages. Much like the dairy breakfasts held in June, a trip to the DCC is often visitors’ first time on a farm. DCC staff are always willing to accommodate tours and walk-ins are welcome to watch afternoon milking.
When the DCC was renovated in 2013, project organizers had envisioned including a lobby welcoming space that would offer educational programming and be visually appealing, but when the funds ran out, the lobby renovation got put on the back burner.
Kate VandenBosch, dean of UW–Madison CALS from 2012 to 2022, brought sprucing up the lobby area back to the top of the priority list. As dean of one of the three universities involved in the Hub – VandenBosch proposed using Hub funds to re-imagine the DCC lobby area to make the space more inviting for students, staff, and visitors. When VandenBosch stepped down as dean in 2022, incoming CALS dean Glenda Gillaspy fully supported the project.
Maria Woldt, program manager for the Hub and emeritus faculty instructor Ted Halbach, managed the “welcome center” construction project. They envisioned a study space for students, a welcome space for visitors, and an educational installation for tour groups.
The project took a little over two years and displays include basic dairy facts, nods to Wisconsin’s history as America’s Dairyland, as well as historical accomplishments and groundbreaking developments that have taken place on the campus. There is also a life-sized cow model and a Badger red calf hutch!
Ted Halbach, emeritus distinguished faculty instructor, Animal and Dairy Sciences, UW–Madison
The DCC includes an 84-stall barn, home to some of the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences research herd. Visitors are welcome to observe cows in the milking parlor during certain days and times. The second floor houses classrooms, a meeting room, and living space for the student managers of the dairy. The DCC serves as an instructional and research facility for the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, the School of Veterinary Medicine, various Short Courses, and the U.S. Dairy Forage Center. About 15 courses are taught at the DCC during a typical academic year.
The DCC was built in 1956 to replace the original dairy barn built in 1898. A 2013 renovation updated feed storage, milking facilities, ventilation and living conditions for the cattle, and in 2017, the classroom and locker room spaces were renovated.
