UW-Platteville Pioneer Farm Making Advancements

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm is at the forefront of innovation. The recent integration of a system that measures cow burps and one that monitors individual feed consumption, Pioneer Farm is setting a new standard in precision herd management. These advancements not only enhance cattle well-being but also generate data that drives sustainability and efficiency in the global dairy industry. This makes UW-Platteville’s School of Agriculture a leader in the tri-state area. Pioneer Farm is a 430-acre working farm that offers students experiences with dairy, swine, beef and soil operations.

The GreenFeed machine is a piece of technology designed to monitor and measure the gas emissions from cows, specifically focusing on their burps. This machine is placed in feeding areas where cows can freely approach it. Each cow is fitted with a tag, recognizing individual cows and dispensing feed pellets as a lure. While the cows eat and regurgitate their food, the machine captures the gases they emit and analyzes its composition, measuring key gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen. By calculating the speed of the gas flow and its composition, researchers can estimate the daily flux of methane emitted by each cow. By analyzing the gas profile the efficiency of the fermentation process inside the cow and can be analyzed and shifts in nutritional imbalances can be identified.

The university also received RIC2Discover feed intake machines that play a role in managing dairy cattle nutrition. Twenty-four specialized feed stations, each equipped with a large bin designed to hold a day’s worth of feed, and an integrated weigh scale are used. The cow’s RFID tag interacts with the feed station to record precise measurements of feed intake. As a cow eats from the station, its weight is recorded before and after the meal, providing data on the amount consumed. This allows monitoring of the well-being and productivity of the herd, allowing for individualized feed management and efficient farm operations with minimal labor. By streamlining the process of tracking and analyzing feed intake, UW-Platteville enhances both the health of the cows and the overall effectiveness of dairy management.

Some faculty members and technology, including the feed intake machines, are sponsored by the Dairy Innovation Hub, which the state is supporting with $7.8 million a year. The hub leverages research and development at UW-Platteville, UW-Madison and UW-River Falls.