Home Food News Dairy cows take the ring

Dairy cows take the ring

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By Whitney Vickers

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XENIA — Dairy character was the key to impressing the judge at the 4H/FFA dairy cattle show Tuesday at the Greene County Fair.

“Dairy character is flatness of bone, a long head and neck, openness of ribs,” Judge Marc Bolen said. “The more milk they give, the thinner they are.”

Thirteen individuals showed their dairy cows off in a variety of categories.

Participants included Gracie Oberschlake, Haley Partee, Abby Jamison, Katie Heider, Emma Jamison, Lia Johnson and Gracie Heider of the Husky Hustlers; Kyle Polk and Hannah Hurst of Clover Valley; Maddie Tucker and Tyler Dovatak of Noah’s Ark as well as Veronica Stull and Kaylyn Dailey of Goal Getters.

Partee took the gold in senior dairy showmanship, while Tucker took second, Dovatak took third Katie Heider took fourth and Daily took fifth.

Hurst placed first in the junior dairy showmanship contest, while Gracie Heider took second, Polk took third, Johnson took fourth and Oberschlake took fifth.

“They all did a great job and need to keep up the good work,” Bolen said. “The county has a bright future ahead with the amount of young kids doing it.”

Between the Holstein summer yearling heifers, Partee took first, Oberschlake took second, Katie Heider took third and Jamison took fourth. Partee took first again in the Holstein spring yearling heifer category, while Dailey took second. Oberschlake took the gold between the Holstein winter yearling heifers, while Stull took second. Hurst was the junior champion in the all heifer class winners, while Polk was the reserve winner.

Katie Heider took the gold in the Holstein fall heifer calf category, while Johnson took second, Jamison took third and Gracie Heider took fourth. Dovayak placed first in the jersey fall heifer calf category, while Gracie Heider took second and Jamison took third.

Bolen graduated from the Ohio State University, where he participated in the dairy judging team. He currently works for Select Sires. Bolen said he was leaving the Greene County Fair to go show his own dairy cows at the state fair. He has been judging for at least three years and has been showing for nearly 19 years.

“[Up and coming dairy showman should] find a mentor or someone who could teach them to start out, to get them going,” Bolen said. “[They should] work with their heifers on a regular basis so they can lead and show them better, then they’re easier to handle.”

The judge was seeking dairy character as he selected the class winners, including flatness of bone, openness of ribs and a long head and neck.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/08/web1_dairy2.jpgThe judge was seeking dairy character as he selected the class winners, including flatness of bone, openness of ribs and a long head and neck.

The judge was seeking dairy character as he selected the class winners, including flatness of bone, openness of ribs and a long head and neck.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/08/web1_dairy3.jpgThe judge was seeking dairy character as he selected the class winners, including flatness of bone, openness of ribs and a long head and neck.

Whitney Vickers | Greene County News Thirteen individuals showed their dairy cattle at the Greene County Fair.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2016/08/web1_dairy1.jpgWhitney Vickers | Greene County News Thirteen individuals showed their dairy cattle at the Greene County Fair.

Reach Whitney Vickers at 937-502-4532.