Wisconsin Dairy

Modernization Survey
UW-Extension
2008

Mark W. Mayer, Dairy & Livestock

Agent, Green County
David W. Kammel, Biological
Engineering, UW-Madison

30 Counties
Represented
104 Surveys
Received
99 Surveys In Data
Set

General Farm Information

Pre
Post
Modernization Modernization
Herd Size (Milk Cows)

82

203

Average Milk Production

/Cow

19,601 lbs.

20,941 lbs.

Acres of Land Owned

351

421

Acres of Land Rented

187

308

Acres/Cow (owned & rented)

6.56

3.59

Full Time Labor Equivalents

for Dairy

2.34

4.32

Milk Cows per F.T.E.

35

50

Parlor Construction &Type

n = 91

New vs. Used

n = 89

n = 91

Labor for Parlor

Average Time For Parlor
Conversion:
17 weeks
Range of Time to Convert:
4 to 104 Weeks

Labor Provided for Parlor

New Construction vs. Retrofit

Time for Parlor Conversion

Parlor Construction &Type

Retrofit Construction
Stall Type

11

New Construction Stall

Type

Flat Barn
Herringbone
Parabone
Parallel

Herringbone
Parabone
Parallel
Rotary

3
3

8
18

10

30
n = 55

n = 34

Parlor Cost per Milking Stall

2008 Dollars
Parlor
Stall Type

Retrofit
Construction
(n=55)

New
Construction
n= 34

Flat barn

$3,360

NA

(n=6)

Herringbone
Parabone
Parallel

$9,657

$18,769

(n=8)

(n=3)

$3,845

$6,016

(n=30)

(n= 10)

$7,478

$22,361

(n=11)

(n=18)

Cow Housing Facility

n = 78

Manure Handling and Storage

n = 107

n = 112

Manure Storage and Bedding

n = 77

n = 101

Replacement Housing

n = 101

n = 86

Economic Investment
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

Dairy Modernization Impacts

Pre
Post
Modernization Modernization

Change

Milk Cows

7,923

19,689

+11,766

Ave. Herd Size

82

203

+121

Total Annual
Milk Production

160,401,113 (lbs) 426,936,276 (lbs)

+266,535,163

Ave. Production
per Cow (lbs)

20,245

21,684

+1,439

Dry Cows

1,197

2,920

+1,723

Heifers

4,307

10,207

+5,900

Calves

2,320

5,868

+3,548

Modernization Economic Impacts

Change
Average Increased Milk +1,439 lbs x $17/cwt
Income per Cow

Dollar Impact
= $245

Ave. Increased Gross

Milk Income per Farm

203 cows @ 21684 x .17= $748,315

82 cows @ 20245 x .17 =- $282,215

= $466,099

Increased Local
Economic Impact from
more cows/farm

121 cows x **$17,000

= $2.06 Million

Increased Annual Milk

Income for the State

+266,535,163 lbs. x 99 farms

x $.17

= *$44.8 Million

Economic Impact from +11,766 cows x $17,000

more Cows in the State
**UW Department of Agriculture and Applied
Economics

= *$200 Million
* Total for 99 Herds

Milking System Throughput

Change = 21.4 cows/person/hour

P = 0.000

Pre and Post Labor Requirements

Average Per Cow/Day

**P= <.001
*P= <.01

Pre and Post Labor Requirements

Average Per Cow/Day

**P= <.001
*P= <.01

Reduced Labor Requirements

Minutes Per
Cow / Day

Total Reduction
Per Cow / Year

Milking Setup/Cleanup

.19 x 365

=1.16 hours

Milking Time

1.98 x 365

=12.05

Feeding Time per Cow

.94 x 365

= 5.72 hours

Handling Cows

.26 x 365

= 1.58 hours

Maintaining Stalls

.48 x 365

= 2.92 hours

Handling Manure

.39 x 365

= 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

Cow Benefits Observed

Ranking of Cow Benefits

Less Important

More Important

People Benefits Observed

Ranking of People Benefits

Educational Resources Used

Ranking of Educational Resources

Professional Resources Used

Ranking of Professional Resources

UW-Extension Impacted Decisions

with Dairy Modernization

n = 99

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 UWExtension be Improved ?

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?

n = 94

Programs and Grants Utilized

Questions!