The Wisconsin Agricultural and Life Sciences Alumni Association has completed 25 years of service to the UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and its alumni and students.

Neal Jorgensen, David Wieckert and Delma Woodburn will be honored for their contributions to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Farm and Industry Short Course at its annual alumni reunion Jan. 25 in Madison. The reunion begins with a seminar at 10:30 a.m., followed by a reception from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and a buffet luncheon at noon all at the Heritage House Restaurant, 3855 E. Washington Ave.

The United States, Australia and New Zealand will move to displace Europe in the world trade of dairy products in the next 10 years, says William Dobson, an agricultural economist at UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Cows fed extra fermentable carbohydrates pre- and post-calving produced 5 pounds more milk per day than herdmates on standard diets in a study at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Your herd’s mileage may vary, but it’s a good idea to make sure your dry cows are getting plenty of fermentable carbohydrates starting two to three weeks before calving. Proper carbohydrate nutrition before and shortly after calving may also help prevent metabolic disorders during lactation, according to dairy science grad student Doug Minor and Ric Grummer, a dairy nutritionist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

High school students and their parents have a chance next month to visit the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and see if the Farm and Industry Short Course will meet their needs.

Wisconsin, historically a leading state in apprenticeship training, may look to New Zealand to help revitalize dairy farming as a career, according to a researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems.

Milk components and component pricing will be featured at Marshfield Dairy Day, Dec. 5 at the University of Wisconsin Marshfield Agricultural Research Station.

University of Wisconsin-Madison biologist Neal L. First, a pioneer in the field of reproductive physiology, has been named the recipient of the 1997 Wolf Prize in Agriculture, the world’s most prestigious award for agricultural research.

With increasing concerns about herbicides and environmental problems, more innovative ways of controlling weeds need to be studied. Living mulch may be an option for producers using an integrated weed management system, according to Jerry Doll, extension weed scientist in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Managing crop residues and ground cover for erosion control is important when establishing, maintaining and rotating out of perennial forages, say researchers at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The researchers studied establishing alfalfa with an oat cover crop, growing alfalfa with smooth bromegrass, and killing alfalfa in spring or fall.