Marshfield Agricultural Research Station

08/25/2026

Still sitting on the fence about attending the 2026 Grazing School at MARS?

The grass really is greener when you're learning from the best. Join us September 16-17 for practical, hands-on grazing education to improve livestock performance and get the most from your pasture acres.

Don't let this opportunity past-ure by. The registration deadline is September 4!

Register today at https://grassworks.org/programs/wisconsin-schools-of-grazing/

08/20/2026

2954 had her moment in the spotlight. She is one of few dairy heifers in the world to receive this kind of attention from Bucky Badger. Selected from the MARS herd for Badger Dairy Camp, 2954 spent several days being groomed, evaluated, and led by enthusiastic campers eager to perfect their fitting and showing skills.

Badger Dairy Camp was held on the UW campus in July. The program educates youth about Wisconsin's dairy industry while highlighting higher education and career opportunities available within the field. For 2954, however, the highlights were a little different. Along with all the extra attention and care she received, she also met Bucky Badger himself. Now, she's back home with her herdmates.

08/18/2026

Keeping dairy cows comfortable promotes herd health and productivity. The new Dairy Ventilation App, developed in part by Nesli Akdeniz, Extension Specialist at UW-Madison can help farmers assess ventilation in their barns and identify opportunities for improvement. Packed with practical tools, this app helps producers calculate THI and heat stress risk, determine proper fan sizing, assess existing ventilation capacity, compare fan performance and efficiency, and estimate the payback period on ventilation upgrades.

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin dairy producers have a new tool for evaluating barn ventilation. UW-Madison Extension is also offering to visit farms and take measurements...

08/14/2026

July tied 1943 as the 4th driest July on record. Many fields entered critical reproductive stages during the month, making the lack of rainfall especially concerning.

While crops can withstand some stress during the growing season, drought during pollination, pod set, and grain fill can have a much greater impact on yield potential. Corn may struggle with pollination and kernel development, while soybeans can abort flowers and pods when moisture becomes limited.

During periods of drought stress, crops activate natural defense mechanisms to conserve water. Corn leaves may roll, plant growth may slow, and root systems often extend deeper into the soil profile in search of moisture.

As crops progress through these critical growth stages, timely rainfall can make a significant difference in final yield outcomes.

08/06/2026

Meyer Manufacturing Corp has generously provided forage boxes to the MARS research farm through a no-cost lease arrangement for decades. As our research farm has evolved, these forage boxes have worked really well for our operation. They are large enough to maximize hauling efficiency during harvest yet sized to keep pace with our bagger. Having access to dependable, high-quality equipment without added cost is a tremendous benefit to our program, and we are grateful for Meyer Manufacturing's longstanding support and partnership.

MARS and UW-Madison College of Ag and Life Sciences are proud to work alongside organizations that invest in agricultural research and education, and we look forward to continuing this valuable relationship for years to come. Thank you, Meyer Manufacturing!

08/06/2026

Don't miss this opportunity to see innovative on-farm research and conservation practices in action at Twin B Dairy during the next EPPIC Farm Tour!

Hi everyone! Stop #4 of the EPPIC Farm Tours is almost here!
Join us on August 25th from 10 AM–1 PM for a field day at Twin B Dairy in Marathon City — home of The Digital Farmer.
Adam and crew will be taking us for in-field looks at the new soybean planter trials, multispecies cover crops, and film corn trials.

Lunch will be provided by EPPIC, but RSVP is required. Please use the QR code in the flyer below or call/text Caleb Armstrong at 715‑722‑9808 to reserve your spot.
Hope to see you there!

07/29/2026

Cattle often move between the MARS farm, the Dairy Cattle Center (DCC) on the UW campus, and the Emmons Blaine Dairy Cattle Center in Arlington, WI. Today, after transporting a group of cows to the DCC, we toured the DCC, then stopped at the Blaine Dairy on our return trip. This was a “first visit” to these facilities for several MARS staff.

Both the DCC and Blaine Dairy are key partners in the UW Integrated Dairy Program. They gave staff a firsthand look at their facilities and research studies. This was a great opportunity to understand how the three facilities connect together and meet colleagues who share a commitment to animal care and agricultural research.

Experiences like these strengthen collaboration across the UW agricultural research station network and provide valuable opportunities to learn from one another. Thanks, Melanie and Danielle (DCC) and Lindsey and Chantel (Emmons Blaine Dairy) for giving us a bit of your time today!

07/28/2026

Brooklyn Schwoerer is no stranger to MARS. In fact, this summer marks her fifth year working at the research farm, making her a familiar and valued member of our team. We are proud to feature Brooklyn as our final Student-in-the-Spotlight for Summer 2026.

This fall, Brooklyn will begin her senior year at UW Madison, where she is majoring in Dairy Science and pursuing a certificate in Agricultural Business Management. While at UW–Madison,
Brooklyn has demonstrated exceptional leadership and involvement across campus. She serves as the Communications Coordinator for the Association of Women in Agriculture (AWA), President of the Badger Dairy Club, and a member of the UW Dairy Judging Team. She is also actively involved with the Badger Invitational Sale committee and will serve as a showring chair at this year’s World Dairy Expo.

Brooklyn’s passion for the dairy industry extends beyond campus. In addition to her work at MARS this summer, she is completing a marketing internship with Black & White by Brooks Farms in Waupaca. At MARS, Brooklyn is known for her versatility, work ethic, and extensive dairy cattle skills. Whether helping care for the herd or lending a hand wherever needed, she is someone the team can always count on.

After graduation, Brooklyn hopes to gain industry experience in cattle reproduction. Looking further ahead, her ultimate goal is to own and operate her own farm.

We thank Brooklyn for her dedication to MARS and wish her continued success as she finishes her final year at UW–Madison and pursues her goals in the dairy industry.