UW-River Falls Students Take Top Honors Again at Regional ADSA-SAD Conference

February 6, 2015 -- University of Wisconsin-River Falls Dairy Club students again took top honors at the Midwest Regional American Dairy Science Association-Student Affiliate Division (ADSA-SAD) Conference hosted by UW-Platteville in Wisconsin Dells, Jan. 30- Feb. 1.  

UW-River Falls competed in both the junior and senior divisions of the quiz bowl, with the UWRF team defending their title in the senior division taking home the championship for the third year in a row.  

Senior team members were Paige Roberts of New London, Minn., Taylor Wittmus of Valders, Eric Zwiefelhofer of Bloomer, and Morgan Kittell of Burnett. They defeated Iowa State University in the semi-finals and Michigan State University in the finals. Junior team members were Cierra Essock of Fort Atkinson, Bradley Rostad of Zumbrota, Minn., Eryn Orth of Winona, Minn., and Sierra Solum of Rice Lake. 

Forty-eight members of the UW-River Falls Dairy Club attended the conference, accompanied by Sylvia Kehoe, professor of animal science. More than 400 students from 12 universities around the region attended the conference to expand their knowledge of the dairy industry. The conference program included intercollegiate competitions, educational sessions, and networking or social events.  

On Saturday, the students attended various educational sessions at the Kalahari Conference Center. Sessions included strategies for educating the public about agriculture, understanding the cooperative systems, and a panel discussion with dairy producers from across the state. The day concluded with a networking career fair event with representatives of agribusinesses, followed by a formal banquet. Alice in Dairyland Zoey Brookes and Ryan Weigel, co-owner of KHW Genetics, were featured speakers at the banquet. 

As is tradition, the group toured dairy farms while traveling to the ADSA-SAD conference. This year they visited Miltrim Dairy in Athens, a 2,000 cow operation. Miltrim will soon be owned and operated by UWRF senior David Trimner. They also visited Rosedale Genetics in Oxford, a family farm milking a herd of 60 cows, consisting of mostly Blackrose and Redroad genetics.

Photo:  Left to right: Paige Roberts, Taylor Wittmus, Eric Zwiefelhofer, Carrie Warmka (2014 ADSA-SADpPresident), and Morgan Kittell.