Campus: UW-Platteville
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Demonstration feed mill
A new project at UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm will bring a small-scale feed mill to life inside the maternity cow barn, giving students hands-on experience while supporting research that promotes animal…
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Enhancing plasma technology for food safety and sustainability via high-frequency power supply, advanced plasma reactor, and large-scale plasma-activated water system
Cold plasma has shown promise in safely reducing bacteria, cleaning surfaces, treating water, and even boosting plant health. To build on this potential, the research team is investing in new…
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Expanded instrumentation for monitoring permanent pasture water quality and soil health
To better understand how different farming practices affect soil and water quality, UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm is installing new monitoring equipment in two pasture areas. The equipment will collect detailed data…
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Evaluating nitrogen availability from solid-liquid-separated and composted manure: phase two
This study builds on previous Dairy Innovation Hub-supported research that revealed current nutrient management guidelines may significantly underestimate how much nitrogen is available to crops from processed manure. The first…
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Improving the growth of alfalfa with plasma activated water: a potential eco-friendly pesticide
Alfalfa is a crucial crop for Wisconsin’s dairy farms, but insect pests like the alfalfa weevil can cause serious damage, leading to lower yields and higher feed costs. To help…
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Impact of biochar on composting dairy manure and soil health: a comparative study
Healthy soil is essential for productive farming, but many fields face challenges like nutrient loss, poor structure, and declining microbial activity. This project explores how combining biochar, a carbon-rich material…
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Increasing nutritional density of alfalfa through the application of locally-sourced effective microorganisms
This project investigates whether adding locally-sourced effective microorganisms (LEM) to alfalfa can enhance its nutritional value as dairy feed. Previous studies have shown that LEMs can increase essential nutrients in…
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Lab to land: testing the efficacy of plant essential oils for the management of aphanomyces root rot of alfalfa in the field
Alfalfa is a vital crop for Wisconsin’s dairy farms, providing high-quality feed for cows in the form of hay and silage. However, a soilborne disease called Aphanomyces root rot poses…
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Instrumentation updates for monitoring water quality and soil health from basins 5, 10, and 11 at Pioneer Farm.
This project will enable equipment upgrades for monitoring water quality and soil health in hydrologic basins 5, 10, and 11. These upgrades will support paired basin research focused on determining…
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Gene expression and sequence analysis to mitigate stress responses/outbreaks in dairy cows and increase alfalfa production.
Dairy production is a major economic driver in Wisconsin, generating 43.5% of the state’s total agriculture activity contributing $45.6 billion to industrial revenues and providing157,100 viable employment opportunities. Vital to…
