Madison hosted the largest dairy-focused trade show in the world last week, bringing farmers and cows from across the globe together to discuss all things dairy.

Folks traveled to Madison from all over the world last week to attend the World Dairy Exposition, an annual event for dairy producers, companies, organizations and enthusiasts to come together.

Throughout the weeklong event, attendees exchange ideas, knowledge and commerce, and they compete with one another in dairy cow competitions.

The annual event — the largest dairy trade show in the world — is held in Wisconsin, also known as America’s Dairyland. Madison has welcomed the dairy community to the city each fall since 1967.

The event comprises three different attractions: the Trade Show, educational seminars and various dairy cattle shows.

The weeklong Trade Show hosted over 650 companies displaying the year’s new innovations in dairy farming technology. From state-of-the-art tractors lined along the fairgrounds to displays showcasing the newest technologies used in cattle farming, the show promoted products that served every need for farmer.

The annual expo also hosted over 50 different educational opportunities between Oct. 3 and Oct. 6. Seminars, sessions and industry-hosted events educated attendees about the biggest updates in the global dairy industry. These educational opportunities covered topics including finances, management practices and climate concerns. The sessions are also designed for companies to showcase innovations in the fields of dairy science, research and service.

Farmers display cows in show ‘like a beauty pageant’

The highlight of the World Dairy Expo was the six-day dairy cattle show. Throughout the course of the week, farmers showcased their finest animals in a series of competitive pageants. The World Dairy Expo said they are home to one of the best-known cattle shows in the world.

Each day, the expo held several shows highlighting each of the seven nationally recognized  dairy cow breeds. The competitions are categorized by breed and age, with “heifers,” — younger cows that haven’t had calves — competing in separate classes than older cows.

Cassie Clark, of Springfield, Pennsylvania, came to Madison to showcase cows from her family-owned farm, Kozy Kountry. Clark told The Daily Cardinal she has attended cow shows alongside her family for as long as she should remember.

“I started showing when I was a couple years old,” Clark said. “I’ve just stayed with it ever since.”

What does it take to be a champion cow? According to Clark, it’s all in the udder. High udders and teats centered directly under the udder are highly desirable in show cows.

Judges also look for big bellies, a sign that the cows can eat well and produce more milk, Clark said.

But just having a big belly won’t do the trick. Clark said farmers also want to be able to see the bones of their dairy cows, specifically the ribcage. In the dairy industry, skinnier cows are preferred because high levels of fat often lead to a higher chance of disease in the animal.

Strong legs are another factor judges look for. According to Clark, farmers want to showcase cows who walk well because that signals the cow’s ability to stay in the herd for long periods of time.

“It’s like a beauty pageant,” Clark said.

While these contests are comparable to a beauty pageant, all of the desired features directly correlate to the animal’s health and ability to produce milk, she said.

Clark’s family returned home to Springfield Sunday night after Gentleman Maple, one of their cows, won first-in-class in the spring ayrshire calf event last week.

Most farms, including Kozy Kountry, only bring one or two of their best cows to the World Dairy Expo every year because of how prestigious the competition is. Clark said her family reevaluates their cows every year to decide which ones will be shown at the expo. Sometimes, farmers are able to scout out show cows while they are still babies.

Winning cows bring prestige, profits

Although the World Dairy Expo is a worldwide event, cows shown at the expo are generally from North America because of transportation logistics, according to Clark.

To transport their cows, Kozy Kountry farm and other farmers load their cattle on trailers and drive them to the event. For Clark’s family, the drive from Springfield to Madison is 14 hours, a journey she said isn’t too strenuous on the animals.

Farmers who live farther away might have to stop several times to let the cattle out of the trailers, to give them food and water and to milk them to ensure the animals are content, Clark said.

Farmers hope to win these awards for more than just bragging rights. According to Clark, winning cows are extremely profitable, and there is a huge marketing draw to farms who produce successful cows in competition. One Holstein cow sold for $270,000 at the 2016 World Dairy Expo, according to WPR.

Many farms sell their award-winning cows directly to other farms. The daughters of these cows are also desirable, and the embryos of winning cows are often sold as well, Clark said.

Bull farms may buy bulls from winning cows in order to breed desirable genetics into their animals. Regardless of the process, the main goal is to keep the genetics of these well-producing dairy cows alive across generations in order to benefit animals and farmers across industries, Clark said.

Clark said she believes the World Dairy Expo isn’t just a competition, it’s a community. She loves the World Dairy Expo because it brings her together with people who share her love of cows.

She has bonded with fellow dairy farmers from all over the world throughout the years.

“I also get to see a lot of friends that I only get to see once a year here,” Clark said.

The week closed with a parade of all the winning cows from the week. Spectators were able to watch over a dozen cows march down a decorated runway, each one shining in the spotlight as an announcer explained the cow’s history.

“It’s nice to get together and compete with everybody but also have a big camaraderie as well,” Clark said.