Farm feature: Hilltop Dairy LLC has decades’ tradition of ‘good-looking, good-producing cows’

Posted on September 24, 2020 in Dairy Performance

The owners of Hilltop Dairy LLC in Markesan, Wisconsin, have had a passion for registered Holstein cattle and “good-looking, good-producing cows” for decades.  That tradition continues to be front-and-center on the 1,400-cow dairy today.

Feeding to win (Part 2)

Posted on July 8, 2016 in Dairy Performance

By Nick Uglow
As I mentioned in the first article of this series, following the same management practices as in a commercial setting - keeping calves clean and dry in a facility with proper ventilation, offering clean water, and managing them in a consistent manner - will keep the fair-prospect calf, in any barn, on par with the desired growth. 

Feeding to win (Part 1)

Posted on July 7, 2016 in Dairy Performance

By Nick Uglow
“There she is!” you think to yourself. 

“She” is that special heifer born the first week of September, who happens to be a couple inches taller than the older August heifers rooming in the same place as her. The daughter of the giant brood cow is easily spotted when pushing up feed to the headlocks.  This heifer would be the perfect candidate to take to the county fair for this year’s 4-H project.