Oral Reasons for the 2004 Hoard’s Dairyman Cow Judging Contest is an ideal resource for coaches of 4-H youth dairy judging teams, high school vo-ag instructors, or youth looking to enhance their oral reasons skill levels. The 18-minute video features six UW-Madison dairy judging students giving sample reasons based on classes from the 2004 Hoard’s Dairyman Cow Judging Contest. The students are 2004 team members who won first place in oral reasons at the National Intercollegiate Judging Contest and at the North American International Livestock Exposition.

2005 field days, as of April 7

Upsizing or supersizing – taking advantage of fast food restaurants’ willingness to pile on lots more food for little more money – seems economically sound, but investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison say it’s no bargain financially if the extra calories get stored as fat.

Scholarships worth $70,000 will be awarded this year to students attending the Farm and Industry Short Course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

While summer and county fairs are still a few months away, Wisconsin dairy cattle judges need to be thinking about renewing or obtaining their Wisconsin Purebred Dairy Cattle Association judging certification. PDCA has scheduled its annual judges training for Saturday, April 30 at Mapleton Valley Farm in Oconomowoc and Four-Winds Farm in Hartland.

Prospective dairy farmers have until April 1 to apply for an innovative program, now entering its 11th year, to help them establish their own grass-based dairy farms in Wisconsin.

Many projects will be featured at a poster session showcasing biotechnology research by University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate students, held March 10 from 4:30 to 7:00 at the Monona Terrace.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Saddle and Sirloin Club would like to announce the annual Saddle and Sirloin Club Swine Project Awards. Up to five awards of $100 each will be awarded to first- or second-year swine project members.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2005 Badger Dairy Camp, June 9 to June 11 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Young adults can be motivated to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables if they are exposed to tailored, practical messages about nutrition.