Dairy Forage Seminars

Dairy Forage Seminars at World Dairy Expo are hosted by the organizing partners of the World Forage Analysis Superbowl. Forage experts from the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, University of Wisconsin and other research centers work together to present seminars on cutting-edge research and information. These experts are also available throughout the week in the World Forage Analysis Superbowl space, located in the Trade Center at World Dairy Expo.

The list of 2026 Dairy Forage Seminars and their descriptions are below!

Wednesday, September 30 at 10:00 a.m.
Use of Cover Crops in Dairy Cattle Nutrition
Ken Kalscheur, Ph.D., Research Animal Scientist, USDA-ARS, US Dairy Forage Research Center, Madison, Wis.

Cover crops are becoming increasingly used in cropping systems to improve soil health, nutrient use, and crop yields.  Alternatively, cover crops can be used as a source of forage for dairy cattle.  This presentation will discuss how cover crops can be utilized in the diets of high producing dairy cows.

Dr. Kenneth Kalscheur is a Research Animal Scientist at the USDA-ARS, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison.  Research conducted by Dr. Kalscheur focuses on the utilization of forage and fiber in dairy cattle diets. Among various projects, his work evaluates the use of cover crops as animal feed and how they affect animal performance, such as milk production.

Wednesday, September 30 at 1:00 p.m.
How the Challenges of First-Generation Dairy Farming Pushed the Need for Quality Forages
Seth Huizenga, Dairy Farmer, Huizenga Family Dairy, Brandon, Wis.

In this seminar, Seth Huizenga, a dairy farmer in Eastern Wisconsin, will discuss and explain his experiences as a first-generation dairy farmer. Topics include explaining some of the challenges of starting a dairy farm, things that worked well and also a lot of things that didn't go well on the farm, the farm's short history to point out events that pushed them to strive for better forage quality and giving insight on their short-term forage goals.

Seth Huizenga, from Brandon, Wisconsin, explains how he and his wife Jacqueline started dairy farming. As their farm went through many changes, challenges and seemingly dead ends, they worked hard trying new ideas to try to keep the farm afloat. The need for great quality feed kept the farm alive for the last 12 years.

Thursday, October 1 at 10:00 a.m.
Opportunities in Short Stature Corn for improved silage yield and quality
Harkirat Kaur, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Corn Agronomy, UW-Madison, Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, Madison, Wis.

This presentation explores how the reduced stature of short corn influence silage yield, and forage quality. Preliminary results from research trials suggest that short corn produces comparable biomass and nutritive value to conventional hybrids. In certain cases, short corn hybrids had higher fiber digestibility than conventional hybrids while providing enhanced operational flexibility. Furthermore, in the systems of interseeded alfalfa, short corn hybrids relatively had a lower yield penalty than conventional hybrids. It remains to be seen how these hybrids behave in terms of forage nutritive value under these systems.

Dr. Harkirat Kaur’s research focuses on promoting economically and environmentally sustainable corn production while preserving ecological integrity. Dr. Kaur aims to address agronomic concerns such as weather challenges, the resurgence of secondary pests, and the invasion of non-native species.

Thursday, October 1 at 1:30 p.m.
What is New on Corn Silage Harvest Technology?
Brian Luck, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, UW-Madison, Biological Systems Engineering, Madison, Wis.

This presentation will cover new technology in silage harvest. We will touch on machinery advancements, NIRS technology, and we will touch on machinery logistics for optimized corn silage harvest.

Dr. Luck is an Associate Professor in Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His work covers machinery movement and logistics, plant, soil, and machinery interactions, and autonomy in agriculture. Dr. Luck has 12-years of experience in machinery research and extension.

Friday, October 2 at 10:00 a.m.
Green fields, blue waters: Phosphorus loss reduction from Wisconsin forage systems
Steven Hall, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, UW-Madison Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, Madison, Wis.

Steven Hall, Ph.D., will discuss the most impactful ways to decrease phosphorus losses from forage cropping systems across Wisconsin, drawing on a recent report on this topic co-authored by UW scientists. This work evaluates and compares the effectiveness of management practices including reduced tillage, cover crops, soil phosphorus drawdown, filter strips and grassed waterways, rotation changes, and more. Finally, Dr. Hall will introduce a simple online tool that can be used to explore management impacts on P losses from forage systems across different soils and regions of Wisconsin.

Dr. Hall's research and extension focuses on improving soil and water quality in agricultural and natural systems. Prior to joining UW in 2023, he was faculty at Iowa State University, and he received degrees from UW-Madison and UC Berkeley. He is excited to be back in Wisconsin, where he grew up, to engage with farmers and stakeholders.

Friday, October 2 at 1:30 p.m.
Harvesting the Benefits of Dairy Manure Application
Eric Young, Ph.D., Research Soil Scientist, US Dairy Forage Research Center, Marshfield, Wis.

The presentation will highlight manure management practices that increase nutrient use efficiency while minimizing losses within the 4-R approach (right source, rate right, right place, right time). Different manure application methods will be presented along with pros and cons including soil and economic benefits. Agri-environmental benefits of low disturbance manure incorporation will also be a focus, along with precision application using autonomous technology.

Eric grew up on a 100-cow dairy farm in central New York. Before joining ARS in 2018, he was a research agronomist at the Miner Institute in northern New York for nine years focusing on nutrient management in tile-drained soils. His research at ARS focuses on dairy manure management, nutrient loss risk/water quality and nutrient efficiency.

Historical Dairy Forage Seminars are available here on YouTube.

The World Forage Analysis Superbowl is organized in partnership between Dairyland Laboratories, Inc., Hay & Forage Grower, US Dairy Forage Research Center, University of Wisconsin and World Dairy Expo. To learn more about the Dairy Forage Seminar series or the World Forage Analysis Superbowl competition, visit foragesuperbowl.com.