Dairy Cattle Judging in Linn with FFA

Dairy Cattle Judging was hosted in Linn, Kansas on October 25th. Dairy Cattle Evaluation promotes skills in students related to the selection of dairy cattle and the management of herds. Skills developed include observation, analysis, communication and team communication. In total, there were 274 Students judging dairy. There were 6 classes in which students judged four dairy cows and ranked them in order from best to worst. There was also one Keep/Cull class. Keep/Cull classes are classes in which there are eight cows, and you choose to keep four cows, and get rid of four cows. You judge the cows by their ability to produce milk, and reproduce. If the cows are similar in their production ability, then the student will judge them based on physical characteristics. There was also a written exam. On the exam, there were questions covering diseases, milk uses, and milk production. Students were judging for 2-3 hours, then they went back to the school in Linn, where they gave reasons for their placements. This kind of event prepares students for careers in animal welfare, biosecurity, business management, current issues, and environmental management.