WELCOME TO BOMAZ FARMS.- The Zwald Family
Bomaz Farms is a family dairy farm located just south of Hammond, Wisconsin. It is owned and operated by Bob & Kay Zwald and family. Bomaz is home to more than 2,500 animals, milking 1,400 cows three times a day. It began at its current location in 1962 by Bob’s Parents, Bob Sr. and Mary, milking 30 cows and having hogs and chickens. Bob Sr. and Mary Zwald had farmed in Lake Elmo, MN and had the opportunity to sell that land and purchase a much larger parcel at the farm’s current location. The name Bomaz is derived from “Bo” for Bob Sr., “ma” for Mary, and “z” for Zwald.
Bomaz has gone through many changes to become what it is today. Bomaz has a 31,000 pound rolling herd average with a 3.9% fat and 3.2% protein. The milk produced is shipped to a local cheese plant where it is turned into 14,000 pounds of cheese every day! The farm also produces over 150,000 pounds of beef annually. An emphasis on cow comfort, feed quality and genetics has helped Bomaz reach the goals of where they are today. Cows are housed in a modern freestall barn with sand bedding, fans, and sprinklers for the hot summer days. Their diet is carefully balanced by a nutritionist with a PhD utilizing forages grown in nearby fields. Utmost care is given to the land to help it be high-producing for the current generation and conserve it for many more generations to come. Currently managing the farm are Bob and Kay, their children, Annette and Tom, and their spouses, Steve and Ashley.
Bob oversees all aspects of the operation although his true passion is improving the herd. Bob’s favorite days are when the grandchildren are at the farm to “help” although there doesn’t seem to be a lot of work happening those days! Kay excels as the calf and youngstock manager. Her attention to detail and heart of gold ensure all calves have “mom” looking over them. Kay is also the farm’s voice in the industry serving on the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board and Discovery Farms Steering Committee. Steve is in charge of financial management-from a cost analysis on a new piece of equipment to marketing the milk produced and keeping the books in line. His attention to detail ensures projects are planned and budgeted and also helps prioritize the operation’s needs. Tom is the agronomy manager taking care of planting decisions, nutrient management, and everything in-between. He is also the fix-it guy with knowledge of all aspects of the operation, some days he has to lean heavily on the tried and true methods of baler twine and duct tape! Annette and Ashley take care of the milking cows. Keeping all animals are healthy is their biggest priority. They believe happy cows come from Wisconsin and work hard daily to provide all those living at Bomaz the best care possible. The management team can’t do it alone; they owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to their 19 dedicated full-time employees and seasonal workers.