As Wisconsin’s local dairy farms continue to struggle into 2020, Kaukauna-based commercial/agricultural builder Fox Structures is delivering a groundbreaking method for relief. In a new collaboration with Dr. Don Höglund, Fox Structures will now offer the acclaimed animal behavioralist’s consultation services throughout their agricultural customers’ building and remodeling process.
Dr. Höglund has presented more than 1,400 professional seminars and on-farm workshops on safe and efficient human and agriculture animal interaction, health care, and workforce learning in the USA, Canada, Scandinavia, and the European Union. In his recent move to Wisconsin, Dr. Höglund collaborates exclusively with MSA Professional Services (MSA), headquartered in Baraboo, WI as the engineering component. Dr. Höglund continues to build a network of professionals to support the mission to preserve the family farm. Additional collaborations include various veterinary clinics and universities providing even more resources to put Dr. Höglund’s workforce workshops into sustained practice.
Dr. Höglund and MSA’s signature “work smarter, not harder” approach calls for more understanding of how animals learn and no brute force—ultimately resulting in less work and more production for the farmer. “Animals learn exclusively from their environment. Humans are just part of the environment, and right now everyone is building for the ease of the human,” Dr. Höglund shares. “Together, we’re setting out to change that.”
Under Dr. Höglund’s advisement, Fox Structures will now have the ability to develop building plans that accommodate animal learning. Thinking differently about farm layout, fencing, gating, etc. yields mutually beneficial results. The farmer can direct the animals with ease and optimal safety, while ensuring the animals’ overall well-being.
Dr. Höglund reminds, it’s not a one-size-fits-all formula. All farms, their crews, animals—and the structures that house them—are unique. Fox Structures’ on-site custom welding capabilities have always offered customers time and cost efficiencies but now can offer the flexibility to carry out custom plans based on Dr. Höglund’s expert assessments as well.
While designing structures conducive to animal learning is a great start, Dr. Höglund expresses the importance of ongoing education for farm owners, their management and workforce in order to practice his principals in real time. After building with Fox Structures, farmers can opt into training workshops with Dr. Höglund to ensure workers become skilled in the practices their farm was designed for.
Now, Wisconsin farmers can take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about Dr. Höglund’s methods and Fox Structures’ custom agricultural solutions at the following events:
2020 Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Dairy Wellbeing Workshop
Feb. 12-13, 2020
Tundra Lodge Resort Waterpark & Conference Center, Green Bay
2020 Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Business Conference
March 18-19, 2020
Alliant Energy Center, Madison
Dairy Calf and Heifer Association 2020 Annual Conference
April 7-9, 2020
Alliant Energy Center, Madison
About Dr. Don Höglund, MS, DVM: Dr. Don Höglund is a veterinarian and graduate of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University and holds a Master’s degree in agriculture economics and an undergraduate degree in animal science concentrating on microbiology, cattle production and farm and ranch financial performance analysis. Dr. Höglund is co-author of “Efficient Livestock Handling: Practical Application of Animal Behavior and Welfare Science.” Dr. Höglund is in full collaboration with MSA Professional Services (MSA) with agricultural engineers headquartered in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Dr. Höglund teaches Dairy Applied Behavior annually for University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. During private veterinary practice Dr. Höglund also served on the production team as an animal trainer for Michael Eisner, CEO of the Walt Disney Company for Disney’s Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show at Disneyland Paris. For seven years he trained 1,000s of prison inmates on the merits of calm, safe and efficient animal conditioning with 20,000 mustangs as props and then safely captured and returned more than 2,000 free-roaming ranch horses to working-ranch-life for the Department of Defense on the 2-million-acre White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. His best-selling nonfiction book, “Nobody’s Horses” chronicles that true tale.
About Fox Structures, Inc: Since 1982, Fox Structures has provided premier design and construction services throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Specializing in agricultural, commercial, retail, light manufacturing and residential buildings, Fox Structures also constructs mini warehouses, storage facilities and special-use buildings. For more information, visit foxstructures.com.
About MSA Professional Services, Inc.: MSA Professional Services, Inc. (MSA) is a 100% employee-owned, full-service multidisciplinary consulting firm serving clients throughout the U.S. Based in 17 offices across Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, MSA partners with clients to help solve today’s complex and multi-faceted infrastructure challenges and specializes in the sustainable development of communities. When you work with MSA, it’s more than a project. It’s a commitment. For more information, visit msa-ps.com or contact Andy Skwor at Askwor@msa-ps.com.
