The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Clinton County 4-H team member Joseph Domecq was the high individual in the novice division of the state’s dairy cattle judging contest at this year’s Michigan 4-H Youth Dairy Days, an annual dairy youth activity held in conjunction with the Michigan Dairy Expo. This year’s expo, the 20th annual, took place July 17-21 at the Michigan State University (MSU) Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education in East Lansing.

Domecq was one of four youth representing Clinton County who earned top ranking among four teams in the team division. Team members were: Joey Arens, of Portland; Domecq, of Rives Junction; and Harris and Willow Evans, of St. Johns.

Youth are eligible to compete in one of three age divisions in the dairy cattle judging contest: novice, junior or senior. Participants in the novice category – for young people ages 9 to 11 and competing in their first or second year at Dairy Days – evaluated the conformation of four classes of dairy animals (four animals in each class) and completed a quiz.

Evaluation scores were tallied according to how closely the contestant’s placing matched the judges’ official placing. Contestants can earn a total of 50 points for each class.

The top 10 individuals overall in the novice division of the dairy cattle judging contest, in chronological order, were:

1. Joseph Domecq, Clinton County (Rives Junction, Ingham County)

2. Willow Evans, Clinton County (St. Johns)

3. Kaden Petroshus, Allegan County (Gobles)

4. Logan Welter, Sanilac County (Peck)

5. Megan Wilson, Isabella County (Blanchard)

6. Harris Evans, Clinton County (St. Johns)

7. Madde Pish, Branch County (Quincy)

8. Jayden Brenneman, Branch County (Coldwater)

9. Dori Battel, Tuscola County (Cass City)

10. Joey Arens, Clinton County (Portland)

Placing second in the team division was a team representing Branch and Sanilac counties. Team members were: Jayden and Sebastian Brenneman, of Coldwater; Maddi Pish, of Quincy; and Logan Welter, of Peck. In third place, was a team composed of youth from Allegan, Huron, Iosco, and Tuscola counties: Dori Battel, of Cass City; Evelyn Daskam, of Ubly; Gabrielle Nelkie, of Whittemore; and Kaden Petroshus, of Gobles. A three-person team with competitors from Isabella and Ottawa counties placed fourth. Team members were: Tarrah Barnes, of Zeeland; Eli Deters, of Fremont; and Megan Wilson, of Blanchard.

As the youth-centered portion of the Michigan Dairy Expo, the largest annual dairy event in the state, Michigan 4-H Youth Dairy Days offers young people interested in the dairy industry opportunities to compete for premiums, ribbons and scholarships in various educational activities, including dairy quiz bowls, dairy management contests, dairy cattle judging competitions and the Dairy Days youth show. This year, nearly 200 youth from around the state participated in one or more of the educational competitions, and winners may go on to represent Michigan in national competitions.

Awards and other recognition during Michigan 4-H and Youth Dairy Days, along with other dairy youth and judging program activities conducted throughout the year, are made possible through the generous support of numerous businesses, organizations and individuals. These include: ABS Global, AIS Equipment, the Branch County Dairy Organization, the CHS Foundation, the Clinton County 4-H Dairy Council, Dairy Farmers of America, Dairyland Laboratories, Inc., the District 1 and District VI Holstein associations, Drs. Joe and Denise Domecq, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Hillsdale County Dairy Leaders, Ira Krupp, the Michigan Dairy Memorial Foundation, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Michigan Farm Bureau, the Michigan Holstein Association, the Michigan Jersey Cattle Club, the Michigan Milk Producers Association, the Michigan Purebred Dairy Cattle Association, the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, the MSU Dairy Club, the MSU Dairy Cattle Judging Team, the MSU Department of Animal Science, MOO-ville Creamery, NorthStar Cooperative, the Osceola County 4-H Dairy Boosters, the Ottawa County 4-H Dairy Committee, Rodney Pennock, Purina Animal Nutrition, the Shiawassee County 4-H Dairy Association, the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, and the Vitality Dairy crew.

For more information about the Michigan 4-H dairy youth program, contact Melissa Elischer at 517-432-4306. For more information about the Michigan Dairy Expo, contact Dr. Joe Domecq at 517-353-7855.

The 2018 Michigan Dairy Expo is scheduled for July 16-20 at MSU.