Cream of the Crop Dairy

Challenge, Oct. 20

Preparations are currently underway for the second annual Cream of the Crop Dairy Challenge contest, Saturday, Oct. 20.

Unlike traditional dairy judging contests, the Cream of the Crop Dairy Challenge teaches participants to efficiently work as a team to analyze and interpret data to solve a problem. This contest will incorporate all facets of a working dairy business in a forum that's interactive, educational and fun.

Teams of four will work together through six stations covering registered and commercial heifers, sire selection, DHIA summary comparison, dairy cattle disease identification, and a 25-question written exam on dairy industry knowledge.

The event, hosted by the Cream of the Crop 4-H Club in Jefferson, is located about 40 minutes east of Madison, at 925 Lexington Blvd. Fort Atkinson,

Registration will begin at the Fort Atkinson High School at 9:30 a.m. and the contest will begin at 10:00 a.m.

The DHIA summary comparison, disease identification, and 25-question multiple choice exam will be completed at the Fort Atkinson High School by half of the teams while the other half of the teams are bused to the Lundy Farm to start with the commercial and registered heifers and the sire selection portion.

Half way through the contest the teams will be switched, giving each team 20 minutes at each station.

Each team will be given a packet to put their team answers in. There will be no individual scores. Nor will there be an oral reasons portion to this contest.

To be eligible for the contest participates must be between the ages of 9-18, and must not have completed high school before competing in this contest.

Teams can be made up of any combination of four youth. All teams will be judged the same…there are no senior or junior divisions.

The top ten teams will be awarded at the completion of the contest. The contest, lunch and awards should be completed by 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided at no additional charge after the contest is completed as scores are being tabulated.

There is a $20 team entry fee. Checks can be made payable to Cream of the Crop 4-H Club. The contest will be limited to the first 30 teams that submit their entries.

For more information contact Mark Lundy, Cream of the Crop Dairy leader. 920-563-6137 or markslundy@hotamil.com.