A team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with teams from Virginia Tech and the University of Idaho, earned the highest awards at the third North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge, completed April 3 at Altoona, Pa.

The two-day event, drawing 25 entries from coast to coast, challenged dairy and animal science students to put their textbook and practical knowledge to the ultimate test: analyzing an operating dairy business. It started April 2 with a walk-through at one of three dairy farms, followed by the opportunity to ask questions of the owners and to analyze farm-specific data. The teams of four students then used this information to develop management recommendations, which they presented April 3 to a panel of five judges for evaluation.

Daniel Diederich of De Pere, John Goeser of Fond du Lac, Kristan Noeldner of Loyal, and Chad Staudinger of Reedsville, dairy science students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, each received first-place Platinum awards and $200 Dairy Challenge Award Scholarships. The Wisconsin team, coached by UW-Madison dairy scientist Dave Combs, beat out teams from UW-River Falls, Cornell University, and six other schools that visited the same farm.

“Seeing my nutrition experience and speaking experience put to work was priceless,” said Goeser. “I have nothing but good things to say about the challenge, and I feel it was an awesome way to send off a college grad to industry or further schooling. You are able to see your personal skills put to the test and get immediate feedback, which is always the case with industry.”

Three dairies in the Altoona, Pa. area hosted the teams. Staff from Penn State and AgChoice Farm Credit coordinated the contest.

The North American Dairy Challenge was established as a management contest that covers all phases of a specific dairy business. It strives to incorporate a higher-learning atmosphere with practical application to help prepare students for careers in the dairy industry. Supported financially through donations by industry and coordinated by a volunteer steering committee, the first NAIDC was held in April 2002.

For more information about NAIDC, call (608) 224-0400 or visit www.dairychallenge.org.