FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does Wisconsin law say about fences in agriculture areas?
There is an old saying that good fences make good neighbors. Chapter 90 of the Wisconsin Statutes sets out rules regarding fences in agricultural areas. The law prescribes when a fence is required, how responsibility for a fence is divided, what a legal fence is and how to resolve disputes between property owners. As growth occurs in rural areas, residential and agricultural uses may come into conflict. Knowing and applying the fence law can help reduce conflicts.
 FACT SHEET - Fences in Agricultural Areas (6 pages, 23 KB)
Can
Rumensin be fed to lactating dairy cattle?
Rumensin was cleared
for lactating dairy cows in early November, 2004. Many questions
are now arising concerning the Rumensin label and its interpretation.
For more details about Rumensin >>>
What
are some tips on corn silage harvest management?
Harvesting whole-plant
corn at the right moisture content and particle size is crucial
to making high-quality corn silage that is well utilized by dairy
cows. Whole-plant moisture content rather than kernel milkline
positioning should be your trigger for when to harvest corn silage.
Monitor particle size and kernel and cob breakage to ensure that
the forage harvester-crop processor is doing the job. Remember
to use additives properly, pack well, and cover securely to minimize
storage losses. (9/03 mw)
Corn Silage Harvest Management (3 pages, 17 KB)
Who
is required to register livestock farms, and when?
Anyone who keeps, houses,
or co-mingles livestock must register their premise by January 1, 2006, for facilities not licensed by DATCP or by your license renewal date in 2006 for livestock and related facilities licensed by DATCP. This is one of the first steps in developing
a livestock identification system that will allow for the tracing
of all animals and premises potentially exposed to a foreign animal
disease within 48 hours to ensure rapid containment of the disease
and protect U.S. animal health. The Wisconsin Livestock Identification
Consortium (WLIC) is a multi-species effort led by Wisconsin’s
livestock and industry organizations in cooperation with the Wisconsin
Department of Agriculture, the Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP),
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the University
of Wisconsin (UW) Extension. DATCP is implementing the National
Animal Identification System (NAIS) in Wisconsin . The System
incorporates the USAIP and its three major steps: Premises Registration,
Animal Identification, and Animal Tracking.
Does
Marathon County have a program to collect old pesticides & chemicals?
Marathon County's Hazardous
Waste Collections Facility is located at 301 Alderson Street in
Schofield. This permanent site replaces the Clean Sweep program
that was discontinued in 1998. Whenever possible, users of hazardous
materials are strongly encouraged to use up any lawn and garden
chemical for its intended purpose. There is even a program to
leave unwanted product that's still in good condition for others
to use. But, when you have unusable hazardous materials, the collection
facility is the best disposal option. The following brochure contains
contact information of local health department officials to inquire
about free disposal of materials from farms and small businesses.
(5/04 mw)
Marathon County Hazardous Waste Collection Facility (2 pages,
183 KB)
Can
an upright silo be adapted for dry storage?
Existing concrete tower
silos, originally built for silage can be converted to dry grain
storage, provided that a number of important items are considered.
These include an evaluation of the silo condition, increasing
structural strength, ensuring complete moisture control, providing
an aeration system, and installing proper loading and unloading
facilities. Other resources: (2/04 mw)
What
are the laws regarding agriculture employment? (2/04 mw)
Agriculture employment
is affected by many state and federal laws and regulation. There
is a minimum that is different than for non-ag employees, wage
allowances when room and board is furnished, income tax withholding
requirements, workers compensation laws, and child labor laws.
An up-to-date summary of all the relevant laws and regulations
is available in the following document: (2/04 mw)
Agriculture Employment Guideline, 2004 (3 pages, 121 KB)
What
is the recommended TMR nutrient concentrations for dairy cattle?
TMR (Total Mixed Rations)
nutrient concentrations from the UW Department of Dairy Science,
include both dry and lactating dairy cattle in various stages.
Authored by Pat Hoffman and Randy Shaver, UW-Madison, Department
of Dairy Science. For
more information >>> (3/04 mw)
What
is the price of standing hay?
If you were looking for
a short dollar value answer to that question unfortunately you
won't find it here. Since there is no auction to test the market
for standing hay, and no reporting system established to fairly
collect prices arrived at between neighbors, giving the price
of standing hay would be based on hearsay information. What we
do have is a few suggestions on how to determine what to charge
or pay for standing hay. If you're the seller it comes down to
charging a price that covers your costs. If you're the buyer you
should be looking at the quantity and quality of feed you might
be able to harvest. And for either party it doesn't hurt to know
what your alternative is if you can't agree on a price. And that
means knowing what the hay market is doing, after all, semi-truck
loads of hay are a mere phone call away. To find out more about
buying and selling hay and what the market might be doing check
out the UW-Extension "Buying and Selling Hay" website
at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/ag/haybuying.html.
(6/04 tc)
How
much does hay price vary by year and quality?
Wisconsin hay prices
vary greatly from year to year based on supply and demand. Years
with wide spread drought cause hay prices to escalate dramatically.
Regardless of what a bale of average quality hay goes for, as
the quality goes up so does what livestock producers are willing
to pay for it. In general, for every point in Relative Feed Value
(RFV) above 100 the prices goes up around $0.95. In other words,
if an RFV of 100 hay is going for $70 per ton, an RFV of 140 hay
would likely command a price of $110 per ton. A paper written
by Extension Dairy Specialist Roger Palmer explains this and other
things to consider in establishing a price for forages. For
Dr Palmer's paper>>> (3/04 mw)
How
can I improve the reproduction efficacy of dairy heifers?
Artificial Insemination
(AI) breeding programs have long been recommended for dairy producers
that raise heifers for herd replacements because of the proven
genetic and economic advantages of using AI compared with using
natural service bulls for breeding dairy cattle. (12/03 mw)
Reproductive Management of Dairy Heifers (8 pages, 41 KB)
What
can I do to reduce reproduction disorders in dairy cows?
Reproductive efficiency
is a critical component of a successful dairy operation, whereas
reproductive inefficiency is one of the most costly problems facing
the dairy industry today. Reproductive disorders occur frequently
in lactating dairy cows and can dramatically affect reproductive
efficiency in a dairy herd. Some of the most common disorders
include ovarian cysts, twinning, early embryonic loss, and retained
placenta. These are diverse disorders that are similar in that
they all can result in impaired reproductive function. Deciding
whether to breed, treat, or cull dairy cows exhibiting one or
more of these reproductive disorders is a challenge for both veterinarians
and dairy producers. (3/04 mw)
Managing Reproductive Disorders in Dairy Cows (19 pages,
147 KB)
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