BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — In an effort to stretch their bottom line, some farmers in the area are working on different ways to feed their dairy cows.
It’s one of many ideas, presented during a traveling seminar series promoted by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.
At Wiese Brothers Farms south of Greenleaf, owner Dan Wiese says about 6,300 dairy cows eat more than 100 pounds of food each day, and feeding the herd is a priority.
“We like to be very diverse in what we feed, and use any opportunity, commodities that we can,” said Dan Wiese, Wiese Brothers Farms.
Wiese says cows traditionally eat corn silage, and alfalfa grown on the farm, but a relatively new process involves buying food products which may be rejected, or expired.
“The dairy cow is an amazing recycler, right? She can eat all the things that the humans are going to throw away, and things that are going to the landfill, and she can produce more food for humans with that ‘waste,’” he said.
Wiese says a nutritionist adds the starches and proteins, to create a mixture safe for the animals to eat.
“We have had truck loads of you name it, we’ve seen it here. Fruity Pebbles. We have fed semi-loads of Fruity Pebbles to our cows,” he said.
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau is traveling around the state talking with producers as part of its Leaders of the Land sustainability series.
“Getting on the farms and really seeing what people are doing, and having that communication on-farm is important. And we can all take ideas,” said Kevin Krentz, Wisconsin Farm Bureau President.
Dan Wiese agrees.
“Any time we can get together and talk about what we’re doing, and what other people are doing for the environment, for all our neighbors, for the next generation, to make sure our kids can farm, that’s important to us,” he said.
The nine-stop tour began about three weeks ago, and is expected to end in the Wisconsin Rapids area on September 23.
