Overview of Farm Operations Heisner Family Dairy, LLC: Family, grass - - PDF document

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Heisner Family Dairy Farm, Site and Study Design

University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms Program

www.uwdiscoveryfarms.org

Overview of Farm Operations

• Heisner Family Dairy, LLC:

Family, grass‐based,

• rganic dairy business.
• Has been operated in

partnership between Jim and Jane Heisner and sons, Adam and Cyrus. Jim and Jane have retired as of early 2012.

Overview of Farm Operations

• Driftless region of

Southwest Wisconsin near Mineral Point in Iowa County W h ldi i f

• Water holding capacity of

Dodgeville‐Dubuque silt loam soil over dolomite limestone bedrock is moderate, depending on slope and depth to bedrock

Overview of Farm Operations

• Unnamed tributary of Brewery

Creek, which flows towards the Pecatonica River.

• Eventually flows into the

Mississippi River

• Landscape has moderate to

steep slopes characteristic of unglaciated uplands in the area.

• Water for facilities and residents

comes from groundwater

Overview of Farm Operations

• Approx. 162 mixed animal units

comprised of dairy cows, heifers, and calves

• 140 acres of pasture managed as

p g intensive grazing in 33 paddocks

• Rotational grazing utilizes the

more rugged areas of the farm

• Pasture is a mix of 75% grasses

and 25% legumes

Overview of Farm Operations

• Cattle stay in paddocks for the duration of growing season
• Some paddocks bisected by a perennial stream, animals have

managed access to, as per paddock being grazed.

• 0.86 acres per animal unit stocking density with pasture, 3 acres

per animal unit with cropland

• Paddocks are grazed 1 day by cows followed by heifers then have

a 30 day rest period

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Overview of Farm Operations

• Paddocks are machine accessible

for forage cutting and seeding

• Pasture is the primary forage

source for animals for much of the year

• More than half of the manure

produced is naturally spread by cattle as they graze.

• During winter, cattle are housed in

four 50 cow free stall hoop barns

Overview Continued

• Sand bedding is used in

hoop barns

• Drive‐by TMR feeding is

utilized with the hoop barns supplementing pasture and for utilized with the hoop barns, supplementing pasture, and for winter feeding.

• Collected manure is scraped from hoop barns as needed (often

daily) and and hauled weekly

• Other areas cleaned as necessary

Overview Continued

• Short term manure storage

is available allowing flexibility to avoid spreading during inclement weather

• 350 acres of owned and

rented cropland are utilized to grow a crop rotation of corn‐small grain‐hay‐hay. Certified Organic.

Overview Continued

• Tillage is used to control

weeds

• Nutrients for crops are

provided by manure, rotated legume hay, and

• rganically approved

soil amendments

Nutrient Management and Soil Conservation

• Nutrient management plan

meets WI NRCS 590 standard

• Soil and water conservation

plan shows estimated soil loss plan shows estimated soil loss for all fields ranges from 1 ‐ 3 tons/acre/year

• Broadcast applications of solid dairy manure supplies cropland

fertilization of 45 – 45 – 105 pounds per acre (N‐P2O5‐K2O)

• ver a 4 year crop rotation

Nutrient Management and Soil Conservation

• Estimated 9 tons per acre
• f solid dairy manure is

deposited on pasture each year, as cattle graze

• The book value ‐ nutrient content for “broadcast” solid dairy

manure that is added back to the pastures is 27 – 27 ‐ 63 pounds per acre (N‐P2O5‐K2O) per year

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Study Purpose and Design

• Research conducted from July 2004 thru October 2007
• Conducted to gain a better

understanding of environmental challenges and opportunities for

• rganic and grass based dairies in
• rganic and grass‐based dairies in

the driftless region of southwest WI

• H3: edge‐of‐field site to determine

contributions from cropland on the farm

Study Purpose and Design

• 2 in‐stream sites to monitor

stream water quality – Upstream (H1) / Downstream (H2) Downstream (H2) configuration – The difference between sites is the farmstead contribution to the stream

For Additional Information

http://www.uwdiscoveryfarms.org

UW Discovery Farms 40195 Winsand Drive 40195 Winsand Drive PO Box 429 Pigeon Falls, WI 54760 1‐715‐983‐5668

jgoplin@wisc.edu or drframe@wisc.edu