Cattle will start rolling into World Dairy Expo today. And, as they arrive on the grounds, all trailers must go through the Rimrock Road gate and stop by the Arena Building to not only receive stalling locations, but present the health and registration papers for all animals on the trailer. If everything checks out, the check-in team will escort cattle to stalling locations. The new check-in process will lead to better biosecurity measures for all cattle on the grounds.

Since cattle arrive around the clock, there will be check-in teams at the Arena Building around the clock. That team will consist of Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) veterinarians and World Dairy Expo approved staff. Part of that staff will be a team of 27 first-, second-, and third-year veterinary students from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. They received hands on training from Mark Clarke, general manager of World Dairy Expo, Bob Kaiser, head dairy cattle superintendent, and DATCP officials earlier this month. Veterinary students helping with check-in are eligible for a one-credit UW course "World Dairy Expo Biosecurity," reports Dr. Sheila McGuirk who is an instructor with the school and long-time volunteer at World Dairy Expo. As part of the process, students are learning to inspect various state Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI's), cross-tabbing animal identification records, and doing some in-depth tuberculosis work. Each student is required to do two, eight-hour shifts.

While at World Dairy Expo, be sure to stop by the National Dairy Shrine booth. As part of this year's fundraiser, National Dairy Shrine will be holding a silent auction featuring the last remaining "Foster Mothers of the Human Race" giclee created to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Hoard's Dairyman. It is a framed giclee numbered 5 of 125 and is the lowest publicly available giclee. And, as we mentioned, all the other giclees sold out in less than 90 days. So bid last for this priceless keepsake.