Alfalawn Dairy, nestled in Menomonie, Wis., has been a family-run operation for five generations. Today, siblings Ben Styer and Krista Anderson are involved in the operation, working alongside their father, Dave, and herdsman, Deric Wolf, to steer the farm into an era of technological innovation while honoring their rich agricultural legacy. By adopting smart technology, they’ve not only modernized their operations but also reinforced their commitment to efficiency, sustainability and animal welfare.
A Family Legacy with Modern Ambitions
Since 2015, the sibling duo has expanded their operations dramatically — growing from 450 cows into a bustling dairy farm that supports 2,300 milking cows along with another 2,300 dry cows and young stock. On their 4,000 acres of crop land, they cultivate an array of feed including corn silage, soybeans and alfalfa. All corn silage ground gets planted into a rye cover crop after harvest.
One of the pivotal advancements at Alfalawn Dairy has been the installation of two Nedap sort gates. The siblings share these gates have revolutionized their herd management, allowing for efficient sorting and processing of cows.
“Monday mornings used to be hectic with administering shots and pregnancy checking, but now sorting the cows is seamless,” the pair say, noting how these gates save the farm significant time and labor throughout the week. “One of the biggest pluses of having the sort gates is that we can cut down on the lock up time for the cows at the barn.”
Alfalawn now has a section of the headlocks at the beginning of each pen to lock up anywhere from five cows to 60 cows if needed. The rest of the pen is neck rail.
“We use that pretty much every day of the week for herd management including breeding cows,” Ben shares.
Alfalawn Dairy has also implemented the Alta CowWatch system powered by Nedap, boosting their pregnancy rate from about 27% to a consistent 37%. By identifying heats more accurately, they’ve refined their breeding protocols, moving away from dependency on double OvSynch protocols. This has allowed them to reduce headlock usage in the milking herd tremendously. The Nedap activity collars placed on heifers ahead of calving remain with them for life, enhancing monitoring and productivity.
Streamlined Operations
To further optimize milk production, Alfalawn installed a 60-stall DeLaval rotary in 2015, accompanied by pre- and post-dippers. This upgrade reduced their labor costs by approximately $2 per cwt.
“The efficiency of the rotary allows us to milk more cows in less time,” the siblings explain. Originally built with an eye for milking 1,800 cows, it now comfortably handles their expanded herd of 2,300.
The farm still conducts monthly DHI testing for gathering components and SCC data. They have also used Dairy Comp for the last 25 years and love the ease of the Pocket Cow Card app.
Sustainability at the Forefront
Alfalawn Dairy shares they prioritize sustainability alongside productivity. With a sand reclaiming system that recovers up to 98% of their sand, they maintain an impressive somatic cell count around 100,000. This system not only cuts down material costs but also underscores their environmental responsibility. The farm’s use of water recycling systems aligns with their vision for sustainable dairy farming.
“We have found we use significantly less sand now than before we put the reclamation system in. With 450 cows, we used to use about 16 truckloads a month. Now, with 2300 cows, we use about six to 10 loads every three to four months,” they share.
Cow Comfort and Welfare
At the core of Alfalawn’s operations is a focus on animal welfare. In October 2023, Alfalawn built a special needs barn to improve cow comfort. It features a new foot trim area designed to enhance cow flow and reduce stress. The integration of rubber flooring in high-traffic areas further supports cow health, leading to fewer injuries and greater overall well-being.
Dave emphasizes the importance of hoof health — a testament to the farm’s commitment to continual improvement.
“We’ve then made the decision to incorporate mats in the holding pen area,” he says, noting that the 1.5" of rubber had cows ‘jumping up and down’.
Dave says with the cows liking it so much, they decided to extend the rubber flooring to the whole holding pen area along with some of the exit lanes.
“We saw increased hoof health and decided to increase the flooring in high traffic area, including where the cows exit the parlor,” he shares, noting they also incorporate sawdust-bedded pack in certain areas to prevent slipping.
“The combination of doing that reduced our foot abscess nearly to nothing,” he says. “We trim feet once per week and hardly put on any blocks,” Dave says.
Under the Styer family’s guidance, Alfalawn Dairy exemplifies the blend of tradition and technology that is driving agriculture into the future. With smart solutions, sustainable practices, and a focus on animal welfare, they are cultivating not just a successful farm, but a legacy poised for generations to come.
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