Project Type: Faculty fellowship (UW-RF, UW-P)
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Export market concentration and dairy price risk: implications for Wisconsin farm businesses
This project examines how Wisconsin’s dairy industry is increasingly reliant on a small number of export markets and how that dependence affects price stability for farmers. Dairy exports—especially products like…
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Molecular epidemiology of pathogens isolated from subclinical mastitis cases in Wisconsin dairy cows
This research focuses on subclinical mastitis, a common but often unnoticed infection in dairy cows that can quietly reduce milk quality and production. Even though infected cows may look healthy,…
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Farm GPT (herd pilot): custom LLM advisor for dairy cow health monitoring with precision data for bovine management
Dairy farming in Wisconsin and across the United States is becoming increasingly complex. Farmers must balance animal health, milk production, feed efficiency, labor management, and environmental conditions—all while operating within…
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Tracing the legacy: baseline assessment of potentially toxic trace metals under long-term manure application
This research project evaluates how long-term manure application on dairy farms influences the buildup of potentially toxic trace metals in soil, crops, water, and manure itself. By comparing fields with…
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Captive bolt placement effects on tissue depth and thalamic damage in dairy cattle cadavers
This project aims to improve the effectiveness of penetrating captive bolt (PCB) stunning and euthanasia in cattle by refining placement recommendations based on anatomical evidence. Specifically, it focuses on three…
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Leveraging blockchain for data security in the dairy farm – phase 2
This project at UW–Platteville’s Pioneer Farm aims to improve how data is managed and protected on modern dairy farms. Today’s farms generate a lot of digital information, but it’s often…
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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…
