Learn about grass-based dairying from the comfort of your home with the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy Farmers CD set!

You can view the Grass-Based Dairy Seminar sessions taught by grass farmers, UW and Extension faculty, and other professionals right on your home computer. This seminar is designed to familiarize you with the principles and practices of developing and managing a grass-based dairy farm business.

Computer requirements

A Pentium-class computer, 200 Mhz or higher, with Windows 95 or better, CD-ROM drive. (Sorry, not available for Macintosh computers.)

A great resource for:

• schools
• libraries
• individuals
• agencies

This two CD set contains the lectures and discussions from the Grass-Based Dairy Seminar. Contents include:

Term 1—Starting a grass-based dairy business

Principles and opportunities for starting a dairy or livestock business; environmental considerations of pasture-based farming  — Jennifer Taylor, UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS), and former dairy grazier; Richard Cates, WSBDF Director and grass farmer, Spring Green
Setting realistic goals for your start-up farm business — Tom Cadwallader, UW Extension Lincoln and Marathon Counties and sheep grazier; Joe Tomandl, dairy grazier, Medford
Feeding the dairy cow on pasture — Dave Combs, Dept. Dairy Science, UW- Madison; Kevin Paul, dairy grazier, Stetsonville
Farm selection and grazing system layout and design — Brian Pillsbury, State Grazing Lands Specialist, NRCS Baraboo; Patty Laskowski and Bill Morren, organic dairy graziers, Hillsboro
Beef production and marketing strategies — Jeff Lehmkuhler, Extension Beef Specialist, UW-Madison; Terry and Cody Quam, beef farmers, Lodi
Goat dairying — Larry Hedrich, goat dairy farmer, Chilton; Dr. Chris Duemler, DVM, Broadhead

Term 2—Developing a business plan

Farm business start-ups: Lessons Learned — Alex and Tricia Crockford, organic dairy graziers, Deerbrook; Mike Krutza, CEO Lighthouse Leadership, and previously CEO FCS- Financial Services, Wausau
A successful business start-up model; farmer-driven marketing strategies — Tom Weigand, Co-founder and past CDO of Noodles and Company Restaurants; Ralph and Sharon Bredl, dairy farmers, and farmstead cheese operators, Stratford
USDA FSA Beginning Farmer Loan opportunities; enterprise budgets and record keeping; Two successful farm start-ups — Tony Bowers, Farm loan officer, Sparta and Tomah FSA; Rob & Gail Klinkner, and Mike & Erin Klinkner, dairy graziers, Viroqua and Westby

Term 3—Managing a grass-based dairy business

Principles of organic dairying, herd health and marketing opportunities — Laura Paine, Grazing and Organic Agriculture Specialist, WI DATCP, and direct market beef grazier, Columbus; Dr. Guy Jodarski, DVM, Neillsville
Low- cost milking parlor design; dairy/livestock wintering strategies — Dave Kammel, Dept Biological Engineering, UW- Madison; Karl and Sara Franson, dairy graziers, Amherst
Farm business management and farmer-run cooperative development; Farm management and environmental stewardship — Rich Toebe and Kim Cassano, sheep dairy graziers, Catawba; Dave Vetrano, WI DNR, LaCrosse
Production and utilization of biomass for the electrical renewable energy market; Avoiding stray voltage; renewable energy opportunities — Bill Johnson, Manager, Biofuels Development, Alliant Energy; Susan Crane, Manager- Business Center, WE Energies
Bringing it all together:  farmer perspectives on start-up dairy/livestock businesses — Gary Stankowski, dairy grazier, Mosinee; Altfrid Krusenbaum, organic dairy grazier, Elkhorn

Questions about the school can be directed to Richard Cates, Lead Instructor, at 608-588-2836, e-mail rlcates@wisc.edu, or for general information call 608-262-5200.

This CD set is sponsored by the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Farm and Industry Short Course, in cooperation with GrassWorks, Inc., Cooperative Extension, UW-Extension, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Farm Link Service and the Wisconsin Vocational Technical College System.

Additional support is provided by the UW-Madison Center for Dairy Profitability, the Great Lakes Grazing Network, the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentive Program.

Ordering the CD set

Print, fill out, and return the coupon below with your payment. Cost is $185 for the two CD set, plus $15 shipping and handling. Mail to CIAS, UW-Madison, 1535 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706.

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Please send me the Grass-Based Dairy Seminar two CD set. Enclosed is a check or money order for $200 ($185 plus $15 for shipping and handling) made payable to CIAS.

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Mail to CIAS, UW-Madison, 1535 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706.