Women in Dairy: Angie Ulness

Tell us about your farm and family. We have been farming on our own at Ragnar Holsteins since May 2002. Together, I, my husband, Mark, and our four children, Clarissa, 21, Garrett, 20, Whitney, 17, and Walker, 12, care for our registered Holsteins. Clarissa and Garrett attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in dairy science, and Whitney and Walker attend Valders High School and Valders Middle School. Our farm consists of 240 acres of corn, alfalfa and wheat, and we also started planting some cover crops.

What is a typical day like for you on the dairy? In the morning, I deliver total mixed ration to the cows, and I also feed heifers. Most mornings, I also feed calves. After my full-time job with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension as an ag educator for Manitowoc County, I often go back outside to feed the cows, mix feed for the next morning and help with chores. I am also in charge of the finances for our farm and family and spend time doing that throughout the week, along with registering calves, entering information in BoviSync and keeping our farm well-kept and clean.

What decision have you made in the last year that has benefited your farm? The most impactful decision we made was to improve our process by which we move calves into the heifer shed. As calves get weaned out of the hutches, they move to group pens in our calf barn before making the transition to freestalls and headlocks. We made an addition to our heifer shed to expand the first group they move into to allow for headlock incorporation on a smaller scale before going to an even bigger group. We have seen a 100% reduction in training calves into headlocks, and they aren’t missing a beat with their growth since the change.

Tell us about your most memorable experience working on the farm. Raising our kids on the farm and the fun we have had visiting in the barn while working side by side is my most memorable experience. The kids have had success showing our registered Holsteins, and we especially enjoy exhibiting at the Manitowoc County Fair. We tie with our 4-H club and make family memories in the dairy barn with friends and neighbors, all while promoting dairy to the consumers who walk through the barns.

What have you enjoyed most about dairy farming or your tie to the dairy industry? What I have enjoyed the most about dairy farming is the progress our registered Holsteins have made in the last 23 years. We continue to improve our genetics and increase our production along with components. The health of the herd has also seen tremendous improvements by the sires we are using that improve fertility, health traits and longevity. We strive to breed a balanced cow that lasts for many lactations.

What is your biggest accomplishment in your dairy career? My biggest accomplishments are the work I have done with 4-H as a dairy leader and dairy judging coach. I have been so proud to be able to give back to the youth of our county by offering them the chance to show our animals and to teach them dairy judging skills and communication skills. I have coached dairy judging since 2000 and been on our county 4-H dairy committee since we started farming.

What are things you do to promote your farm or the dairy industry? As an ag educator, I have been able to have my dream job working for the UW, promoting the Wisconsin Idea to dairy farmers in Manitowoc County. I am blessed to be able to share research and information with producers, all while I am learning every day on the job. If I do not have the answer, I find someone who can answer it for them. I also enjoy being a member of the Manitowoc County Forage Council, Manitowoc County Dairy Promotions Committee and a producer-led watershed group in Manitowoc County called the Seven Rivers Soil Cooperative.

What advice would you give another woman in the dairy industry? Take advantage of the network of women involved in the dairy industry. Join groups or attend meetings together to build a community to learn from each other and build friendships. We are more when we can feel connected as an industry and fulfilled as women. It is really hard to do with a family, a farm and a full-time job, but find some time for yourself. It has taken me 47 years to realize I need to find time to exercise and write in a gratitude journal.

When you get a spare moment, what do you do? I go up to Door County to visit my parents, attend a Badger football game and go to our Ulness family cottage on a Sunday afternoon. In the summers, I especially enjoy a family campfire in the backyard.