You know how every trade and interest out there has a magazine dedicated to it, well in the milk cow world it is Hoard's Dairyman. One of the really neat things they offer is an annual contest for their subscribers. In the magazine they feature four cows from each of the 5 major breeds and then let you pick which ones you think rank best from 1-4. For the last couple years our 4-H dairy leader Julie has gotten the kids together and worked this contest into a really good learning opportunity. This year the guys from Golden Oaks Dairy Farm came down to lend a hand and help the kids better understand what they were looking for in the different animals and breeds. Picking the the winner is somewhat subjective but there are important traits that make a good cow stand out. Qualities like how well she stands, the make up and attachment of her udder and the line of her back all weigh in. I'll keep you posted if we end up with a winner from Glenview!
By the way, the cow pictured at the bottom is our own Boo, the 2009 Lake County Fair Grand Champion.
