World Dairy Expo virtual farm tours highlight sustainable technology

MADISON, Wis. — World Dairy Expo Virtual Farm Tours have brought some of the best dairy operations from near and far to Madison for over 20 years.

The four dairies to be featured during WDE 2022 continue that tradition while showcasing environmental stewardship, quality genetics, technology advancements, community involvement and more.

During the WDE Virtual Farm Tours, dairy owners and managers share a visual presentation with time for questions and an open discussion afterward. Tours are presented at 10 a.m. daily in Mendota Room 1 of the Exhibition Hall.

Here is the 2022 WDE Virtual Farm Tours schedule that can be viewed in person at the expo or online at www.worlddairyexpo.com.

Tuesday, Oct. 4 — Walnutdale Farms, Wayland, Michigan: Walnutdale Farms has a rich history of farm tours for local and international communities. After a fire destroyed the milking parlor in 2010, Walnutdale Farms rebuilt with a 50-stall rotary parlor. The farm raises all of its own replacement heifers and has programs that focus on environmental preservation.

Wednesday, Oct. 5 — Homestead Dairy LLC, Plymouth, Indiana: A fourth-generation farm, the Houin family manages Homestead Dairy with the future in mind. The family operates three farm sites featuring a double-25 parallel parlor, a double-12 parallel parlor and a barn with 36 Lely robots. In the past decade, Homestead Dairy has installed a methane digester, a manure dryer system for bedding and new calf facilities.

Thursday, Oct. 6 — Bateman’s Mosida Farms, Elberta, Utah: Honored with a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award in the category of Outstanding Dairy Farm in 2016, the Bateman family is committed to sustainable practices for their family and the community. A solar farm, robotic dairy research facility and a vertical forage-growing system are just a handful of the technologies implemented at Bateman’s Mosida Farms.

Friday, Oct. 7 — Skråmered, Våxtorp, Sweden: Skråmered is regarded as one of the most exemplary dairy businesses in Sweden and was awarded Sweden’s Dairy Business of the Year Award in 2021 along with being a top-three production herd in 2020. Featuring ProCROSS genetics — VikingRed, Montbéliarde and Holstein — a primary objective of the farm is to adapt its genetics and management of cattle around the facilities it has instead of constantly building new facilities.

Serving as the meeting place of the global dairy industry, WDE brings together the latest in dairy innovation and the best cattle in North America. The dairy industry will return to Madison for the 55th event Oct. 2-7, when the world’s largest dairy-focused trade show, dairy and forage seminars, a world-class dairy cattle show and more will be on display.

Download the WDE mobile event app, visit worlddairyexpo.com or follow the expo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube for more information.