That's one of the findings from a five-year Hayward Agricultural Research Station study that evaluated the feasibility of northern Wisconsin sheep and beef production. The UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences ran the station from 1985 to 1990 to test methods to reduce labor to the point where a family could operate such a livestock farm on its own, with a minimal input of buildings, equipment, or hired help. Norman Ackerberg donated the farm to the UW foundation in 1985 to use for agricultural research.
Agriculture is one of northern Wisconsin's primary industries.
The area around Hayward relies heavily on growing forages and converting them into higher-value products such as milk, meat, and wool. Thus, improving forage production and its efficient and effective use is important to the area's economy. The combination of sheep and beef also maximizes forage use, helps spread income risk and labor, and could make optimum use of existing equipment and facilities. The researchers decided to maintain 100 beef cows and 300 ewes after analyzing expected costs and returns and potential feed production on the farm. About 65 to 70 beef cows were kept during the last years of the operation.