EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Four second-year students from the Michigan State University Institute of Agricultural Technology dairy production program competed in a close-scoring International Postsecondary Dairy Judging Contest held during World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., in early October.
Team members, all from Michigan, were Eric Cole of Bancroft; Elizabeth Reed of Owosso; James Weber of Vassar; and Eric Westendorp of Nashville.
Westendorp took fifth place overall and second in the Holstein breed. Cole was second place in Brown Swiss and seventh in the Guernsey breed. Reed was fourth in the Red and White dairy cattle category.
Seventeen teams competed in this year's contest, which was the 21st annual. The MSU team placed third in Brown Swiss, fourth in the Guernsey breed and eighth overall.
"The ultimate goal is to do well at Madison because it is the highest profile dairy judging contest in the country, maybe in the world," said Joe Domecq, specialist in the MSU Department of Animal Science and dairy judging coach who traveled with the team. "It's important to remember, though, that participating in dairy cattle judging is not necessarily about winning contests or even evaluating cows. It's about developing professional and social skills - such as critical thinking, public speaking and communication skills - which one needs to be successful in the future."
This year's winning team was from the Ag Tech Institute at Ohio State University. Matt Henkes, from Northeast Iowa Community College, scored the highest.
World Dairy Expo is an international dairy event. It includes an industry trade show, national dairy cattle shows and sales, youth judging contests, virtual farm tours and educational programs. Total attendance for this year's weeklong event was 64,796, which included 2,551 international guests representing 91 countries. Shows were held for seven dairy breeds.
Sponsors for the MSU and Michigan 4-H dairy judging programs are ABS Global, Inc.; NorthStar Cooperative; the Michigan Holstein Association; the Michigan District 1 and District 6 Holstein Associations; the Michigan Jersey Cattle Club; the United Dairy Industry of Michigan; the Michigan Milk Producers Association and the Michigan Dairy Memorial Foundation.
For more information about the MSU and Michigan 4-H dairy judging programs, contact Domecq at domecqjo@msu.edu or call (517) 353-7855.
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