The Michigan Dairy Expo is the largest dairy event in the state, with more than 200 youth participants and more than 350 heads of cattle, according to Michigan Dairy Expo director and MSU Department of Animal Science specialist Joe Domecq. The expo includes contests, cattle judging and activities for kids.

“It’s a tremendous educational opportunity for kids and the general public to show how milk is produced and how we take care of the animals,” Domecq said.

Great Dairy Adventure

Hundreds of kids descended on the MSU Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education Wednesday for the Great Dairy Adventure consumer education day, where they received an up close and personal view of where dairy products come from.

“(Great Dairy Adventure consumer education day) is open to everyone, but mostly we get day care children and young families,” said Terry Philibeck, director of industry relations for United Dairy Industry of Michigan.

“It also gives them a chance to do some activities, such as dairy taste testing with ice cream, TruMoo chocolate milk, yogurt and cheese sticks.”

Philibeck said at least 2,500-3,000 kids were expected, but the intense heat likely discouraged many from attending.

“We probably have around 1,000 kids here today,” Philibeck said. “With it being as hot as it is, many day cares and families may have elected to stay home.”

There were plenty of activities on hand for those who did attend, including coloring, taking pictures with milk mustaches and milking dairy cows. However, there was one activity very few kids had interest in.

“My favorite thing here is going up and reaching inside the cow and feeling its insides and all that its eaten,” said Hillsdale, Mich., resident Luke Bowman.

“The best thing about Dairy Expo is being up here with your friends. Being with my 4-H group and having fun, and we all like to sit around and talk to each other. We kind of bond up here; we’re kind of like a 4-H family.”

‘Like-minded souls’

Megan Bush, an agribusiness management junior, recently returned from a trip to Europe for the International Livestock Judging Tour. Bush was part of a team that included two other MSU students as well as an Alma College student. The team traveled to Scotland, England and Ireland after winning the National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest last October.

Bush credits her experiences at home for the successes she has had, including her experiences at the Michigan Dairy Expo.

“I’ve been coached up here, and the experience definitely helped,” Bush said. “Michigan dairy judging is different from other states; we’re an anomaly, and I think it gives us an edge.”

Even more than helping her judging skills and ability, Bush added her involvement with judging cows has helped her as an individual.

“It has shaped who I am,” she said. “I’ve learned life skills like commitment and how to work hard. You definitely get out what you put into the experience.”

Bush indicated her time dairy judging has benefited her in other ways as well.

“I’ve met plenty of livestock and dairy people,” she said. “The networking has been amazing.”

Milking the experience

Laura Moser, communications manager for the Michigan Milk Producers Association, said she was excited to be a part of the Michigan Dairy Expo and share the experience with her kids.

“Getting the kids here and being involved is probably the most important thing we do with our kids,” Moser said. “The kids are involved in other extracurricular activities throughout the year, but this wraps it all up nicely.”

Moser added that her kids participated in the youth dairy show, with cows that they raised.

“It’s great that like-minded souls can come together for a week of good-spirited competition and compete together as friends,” said Moser.

Domecq said dairy show winners differ from livestock show winners in that the actual animal is not sold, but a basket of dairy goods representing the animal is sold.

“The money goes back to the exhibitors and a scholarship,” Domecq said. “The money raised goes right back to all the kids who participated in the event.”

Domecq added there were several sponsors for the event, including Meijer, Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan Milk Producers and GreenStone Farm Credit, and Meijer in particular has been a great contributor to the Michigan Livestock Expo and Michigan Dairy Expo.

Moser said the winners of the dairy show on Tuesday raised more than $43,000 from the cows they raised.

However, it is the lessons learned that make the event worthwhile and likely will benefit the kids later in life, Moser said.

“At the end of the day, the kids learn how to work toward something and work hard,” she said. “The kids learn how to handle responsibility and gain fulfillment doing a good job.”