The event kicked off with registration at 10:00 a.m. at Vir-Clar farms. Vir-Clar Farms is owned and operated by Gary and Rose Boyke. They have four children with two actively employed on the farm Katie and J.R. It is a 1350-cow dairy comprised of 1450 acres used for corn silage forage oats alfalfa haylage and pasture for young stock. The farm includes a brand new calf operation a unique manure management system and a methane digester imported from Germany. Twenty-four full-time employees keep the operation running smoothly.
Producers had the opportunity to mingle and enjoy a brief welcome before beginning the tour. The first tour stop was the calf facilities. Katie is in charge of calves from 0-5 months of age. She raises the calves in hutches super hutches and an open-sided calf barn. She feeds milk replacer for six weeks and then weans the calves. After the calves reach 5 months of age they travel to the heifer facility where J.R. takes over management. He raises the heifers on pasture seven months of the year.
Next producers observed the cow facilities including the transition management facility. The freestalls are bedded with separated solids after they have gone through the methane digester.
After the free-stall tour Gary pointed out the methane digester installed in 2004. The digester turns methane into electricity to provide power for close to 310 homes. Producers inquired about the function of the digester and conversed among themselves as the machine stirred many new ideas and questions.
The final stop on the Boyke farm was the double 20 Westphalia-Surge parallel parlor. Here employees milk cows three times per day with shifts lasting about seven hours.
As the farm tour concluded producers set off for the Galloway House where they enjoyed a chicken dinner under a cool shelter. Next many toured the 1880 style buildings. The Galloway tour included buildings such as: a schoolhouse a barn a blacksmith shop an old mill and even a dressmaker’s shop.
However the most impressive was the Galloway house itself. Ordained with Ruby glass doors and chandeliers the house impressed its visitors and made for a beautiful afternoon. Them group returned from the 19th century to end the day with Ice Cream Bars and a cheerful Accelerated Genetics farewell.
Young Producers can look forward to the next event which will be the Fall Conference held November 11-12 2006 in Stevens Point Wisconsin.
Accelerated Genetics based in Baraboo and Westby Wisconsin is a world-renowned farmer-owned cooperative that provides high-quality genetics a broad range of solution-based farm products and leading genetic technology. Accelerated Genetics’ primary goal is to provide unmatched service to customers around the world.