Decision Support Systems / Tools - Dairy Management

Lactation Benchmark Curves for Wisconsin

The Lactation Benchmark Curves is a user-friendly application that compares Wisconsin benchmark lactation curves (18,000 to 30,000 lb RHA and 1, 2, and 3 and higher parity) with your own data. You can download the application by selecting the links below.

NOTE: In order to use the Excel spreadsheet you must "Enable Macros and ActiveX content".

Lactation Benchmark Curves (2 pages, 377 KB)

Lactation Benchmark Comparison for Wisconsin

This tool allows to perform comparisons of your herd lactation curves with benchmark curves of 3.6 million records from AgSource DHI program. This tool works directly on your browser. You don't need to download any file to your computer. After you click the link below, a new screen will appear like the figure on the right. That screen is interactive: first select your approximate rolling herd average, then the parity you wnat to compare. Finally, you need to define your herd data by "tuning" the selectors at the bottom of the figure.

Benchmark Comparison (SWF file 604 KB)

Cow Value

Calculates how much you can afford to pay for a cow if she does not add to overhead costs.

NOTE: If you do not have Adobe Flash Player (Shockwave Flash) installed on your PC, please go to the Adobe website for the free Adobe Flash Player download and install the software prior to using the Cow Value application.

Cow Value (SWF file 660 KB)

Nutrient Manager: Using a Computer Application to Perform Dairy Annual Nutrient Management Plans

The Nutrient Manager is a user-friendly application that balances nutrients according to user-defined crops planted, soil analyses, effluent irrigated, dry manure applied, and chemical fertilizers supplemented. You can download the application and its documentation by selecting the links below.

NOTE: In order to use the Excel spreadsheet you must "Enable Macros and ActiveX content".

Manual Nutrient Manager (4 pages, 71 KB)

Nutrient Manager Application (228 KB)

Alfalfa Yield Predictor : Using a Computer Application to Predict Irrigated Alfalfa Yield

Alfalfa Yield Predictor is a user-friendly application that predicts the yield of alfalfa according to user-defined fall dormancy, cutting, height, growing degree days, and rainfall. You can download the application and its documentation by selecting the links below.

NOTE: In order to use the Excel spreadsheet you must "Enable Macros and ActiveX content".

Manual Alfalfa Yield Predictor (4 pages, 150 KB)

Alfalfa Yield Predictor Application (1.17 MB)

Document describing the application (13 pages, 262 KB)

Grazing-N: Application that balances nitrogen in grazing systems

Grazing-N is a user-friendly application that estimates the N balance for grazing activity of dairy heifers or dry cows. You can download the application and its documentation by clicking the links below.

NOTE: In order to use the Excel spreadsheet you must "Enable Macros and ActiveX content".

Grazing-N Manual (2 pages, 125 KB)

Grazing-N Application (163 KB)

Document describing the application (4 pages, 165 KB)

NM-Manure: A Seasonal Prediction Model of Manure Excretion for New Mexico Lactating Cows

NM-Manure prediction model is a user-friendly application developed in Visual Basic and Microsoft Excel with the purpose to predict seasonal manure excretion for new mexico lactating cows. You need four pieces of information to run the model: total number of cows, the culling rate, the pregnancy rate, and the milk productivity of the herd. You can download the model and its documentation by selecting the links below.

NOTE: In order to use the Excel spreadsheet you must "Enable Macros and ActiveX content".

NM-Manure Manual (2 pages, 34 KB)

NM-Manure Model (1.20 MB)

DyNoFlo: Dynamic Dairy Farm Model

DyNoFlo is a user-friendly application that performs dynamic nitrogen balances of entire dairy farm systems. DyNoFlo was created for North Florida Dairy Farms, but it can be customized by the input data. The Dairy Extension Program is working to adapt this tool to specific Midwest conditions.

NOTE: In order to use the Excel spreadsheet you must "Enable Macros and ActiveX content".

Paper Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment Journal (16 pages, 723 KB)

Paper Computer and Electronics in Agriculture Journal (23 pages, 646 KB)

DyNoFlo Application (3.56 MB).