News
CAFES Student Part of First Place Winning Team at 2012 Midwest Dairy Challenge
In early February, CAFES students participated in the Midwest regional competition for the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge at Kansas State University in St. Joseph, MO. Dr. Perry Clark, Professor of Animal and Dairy Science, attended the event with four UWRF students: Steffani Koch, Carl Lippert, Todd Speltz, and Lauren Wendt. Dr. Sylvia Kehoe, Professor of Animal and Dairy Science, helped prepare the students for the competition. Students were assigned to five-member teams composed of students from other universities in the Upper Midwest and Canada. Each team visited and evaluated a dairy farm.
The teams evaluated all aspects of the farms including nutrition, reproduction, calf and heifer raising, milk quality, housing, milking procedures and financial records using 'benchmark' management information learned in class or from practical experience for comparison purposes. Each team then prepared a 20-minute Power Point presentation on their findings and recommendations for the farm owner. Presentations were made orally before a panel of judges the next day.
Congratulations to CAFES student, Carl Lippert, who was part of the winning (1st Place) team among the teams that visited the Holstein farm! View more results... 
The competition is an excellent way for students to use their knowledge of dairy cattle management and dairy farm financial records in a real world setting. In addition, students have the opportunity to make valuable 'networking connections' with well-known people in the dairy industry.
UWRF Places 2nd at Dairy Cattle Judging Contest
Congratulations to our CAFES students for placing second overall during the 18th Annual Accelerated Genetics Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest in Viroqua, WI. Members of the team included Ami Cooper, Sara Larson, Labecca Johnson and Nathan Laska; and was coached by Sandra Sawall and Steve Kelm. Sixteen teams from across the country participated in this year's contest.
New High-Definition Video Technology Introduced at the Dairy Learning Center
The Dairy Learning Center recently installed a new, high-definition digital video recording system. It will serve as a valuable tool for teaching, research and farm management. The system is being used for heat detection in lactating cows. With the help of of our IT department, we are planning to have access to the system from campus by the end of September 2011, allowing us to visit the farm without leaving the classroom. This fall, our Animal Science students will be using motion detection software to detect signs of heat without direct human observation. If successful, this project will be very helpful for busy dairy producers struggling to identify cows in a timely manner that need to be bred in their operations. We are happy to have this new technology at our fingertips and excited to unlock its capabilities!
Join us at the World Dairy Expo, Oct. 4-8, 2011
World Dairy Expo 2011 is a five day event showcasing the finest in dairy genetics and the newest technologies available to the dairy industry. Visit the CAFES booth at the World Dairy Expo, October 4-8 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
Friday, October 7 is CAFES annual Alumni Reception in conjunction with the expo. Alumni are invited to join us in the Monona Room at the Alliant Energy Center from 5-7pm. International Students Click Here to Learn More about our Dairy Science Major.
UWRF Among Top Competitors at National Dairy Challenge
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 04/05/2011
A group of students from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls were among four teams in the nation to achieve "First Place Platinum" during the 10th annual North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge held in Hickory, North Carolina last weekend. The UWRF team, which included Alex Geiser, Paul Lippert, Leonard Polzin and Anne Spillman, received $200 scholarships for each participant. They were coached by Sylvia Kehoe and Dennis Cooper. The event was made up of 127 college students from 30 schools across the United States and Canada.
Teams from California State University-Fresno, Cornell University and Penn State University also earned the Platinum award.
Meanwhile, a team from the UW-Madison earned a gold rating for their work in the competition. UW-Platteville received a silver ranking.
The contest allows each team of four to be challenged by putting their textbook and practical knowledge to the ultimate test of analyzing dairies. The event started with a walk-through at one of the four host dairies, followed by the opportunity to ask questions of the owners and analyze farm-specific data. Teams then used this information and their observations to develop management recommendations, and then presented their recommendations to the herd owners and a panel of five dairy industry judges.
The contest was organized by North Carolina State University and Virginia Tech.
