Project Type: Graduate student assistantship
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A collaborative initiative for continuous groundwater nitrate monitoring in Western Wisconsin leveraging legacy well data and novel sensing technologies
Nitrate contamination in groundwater poses risks to both human and animal health, especially in rural communities. This project will pilot a collaboration between UW–Madison and UW–River Falls to develop a…
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Development of analytical modeling tools to assess changes to milk pricing under Federal Milk Marketing Orders
The principal justification for this project is that FMMO regulation plays a key role in determining milk prices and profitability for the majority of US dairy farms, and we currently…
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Ecological intensification for productivity, profitability, soil health, and carbon sequestration in the dairy-forage and cash-grain agroecosystems of the North Central US
Several farming practices (e.g., cover crops, no-till) are promoted to improve soil health, sequester carbon (SOC), and enhance crop yields and economic returns. However, the efficacy of such practices is…
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Carework as Farm Work? Agricultural Practitioners’ Perspectives of Childcare
Labor shortages, tightening profit margins, and aging farm populations motivate farmers, practitioners, and policymakers to identify new labor streams and increase long-term farm viability.To explore the future of agricultural labor…
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Exploiting the food-grade organism Aspergillus oryzae as a biocontrol agent against Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products and cattle
Listeria monocytogenes is a prominent foodborne pathogen of particular concern in the dairy industry. Listeria frequently infects dairy cattle and contaminates the dairy food production chain and is highly resilient…
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Capacity of flies to acquire and transmit pathogenic bacteria to dairy cows
Mastitis and enteritis are two of the most common and costly diseases affecting dairy cattle in the United States and worldwide. However, very little is known about how dairy cows…
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Profitability of automated milking systems and labor implications for Wisconsin dairy farmers
Dairy farmers have experienced substantial market volatility, hiring challenges, and rising labor costs. These factors, and the substantial time that farmers must dedicate to their dairy operations are forcing an…
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A novel approach to understanding the impact of dry-off on dairy cow welfare in automatic milking systems
The abrupt cessation of milking is a well-established dairy management practice used to begin the dry period, but few studies have investigated the impact of abruptly ending milking on dairy…
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Gaining value from post-anaerobic digestion dairy manure fibers
Anaerobic digestion is a well-regarded manure treatment and management practice that adds value through biogas generation and provides a mechanism to control the release of various manure constituents to the…
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Improving anaerobic digester performance through microaeration
Anaerobic digestion is the process of microbial decomposition of organic substances, including dairy manure, in the absence of oxygen. Anaerobic digestion is an effective tool but is too costly for…
