There is no dress rehearsal for World Dairy Expo this year. The first event ever held in the recently constructed New Holland Pavilion at the Alliant Energy Center is the "greatest dairy show on earth." The old barns were demolished and the two-barn facilities broke ground in April of this year, immediately following the Midwest Horse Fair, one of Madison's annual signature events.

There is one main aisle and all cattle are stalled to the left or right off the center row. This area will be for human traffic only. Cattle will enter and exit the buildings from numerous overhead doors on each side of the building, but are not to cross the center aisle. This will keep people and cattle from intermingling in a fairly confined area and the walkways free of manure.

All wash racks and manure storage areas are on the outside of the buildings under cover, alternating along the entire length of both sides of the barn.

A few cattle entered the grounds on Thursday, but the two barns remained relatively empty with a scattering of displays until Sunday, when cattle started to arrive. With over 3,000 entries expected, additional tents are being constructed to house sale cattle and overflow animals.

Take a peek at the transformation of the facilities from the beginning.



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