Photo Gallery: 2012 World Dairy Expo Highlights Thru A Camera Lens

Oct. 11, 2012

A total of 2,385 dairy cattle were ushered onto the World Dairy Expo grounds.
Visitors to the Wyoming Business Council tent were invited to place arrows on a world map showing where they were from. Southeast Asia was well-represented at this year’s expo.
Alfalfa grower Amy Freeburg, Gayville, SD, answers questions from an international visitor at the National Hay Association booth.
Wheatland, WY, hay grower Dave Hinman gives the once-over to a bale sample in the Wyoming Business Council tent. Hinman earned a second place in the Commercial Hay category of this year’s World Forage Analysis Superbowl. His daughter, Kellie, captured top honors in the category. For more on the Wyoming folks – and contest results – read our story, "Wyoming Tops Superbowl’s Commercial Hay Category – Again."
Expo goers had plenty of questions for hay producers manning the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Council booth.
Dairy producers stopping by the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association exhibit were hungry for information about hay availability in the Cornhusker state.
With dairy producers around the country scrambling to find hay supplies before winter sets in, representatives at the National Hay Association display stayed plenty busy throughout expo week.
Exhibitors ready a cow for show. World Dairy Expo had a total of 1,234 exhibitors from 41 states and eight Canadian provinces bring cattle for show and sale.
One more check before entering the show ring.
Seven breeds of cattle were represented at World Dairy Expo: Ayrshire (253 cattle), Brown Swiss (374), Guernsey (217), Holstein (636), Jersey (448), Milking Shorthorn (187) and Red & White (270).
Equipment manufacturers were out in force.
Grass and alfalfa seed companies also were available to talk with producers.
Rich Muck, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center scientist, spoke at the expo Forage Seminars about homofermentative inoculants. The return-on-investment bottom line: "If inoculant only improves dry-matter recovery, you will at least break even and most likely make a small profit. If the inoculant improves milk production, you will get a big return on your investment." For more on silage inoculants, read "Fortifying Silage Fermentation."
One of the most attractive booths also dealt with homofermentative silage inoculants (see previous photo). Apparently DeLaval, known for its milking equipment, also has a feed division called Feedtech. The bins of different silages were all treated with the MiLab 393 inoculant and booth managers said they were constantly "sniffed" and "smelled" by expo goers.
The Nexgrow experts warned at their booth of Race 2 aphanomyces root rot, which has made more of an appearance the past couple of years. The test-plot photo at left shows Aphanomyces-resistant alfalfa to the right in a field affected by the disease. For more on aphanomyces, read our story, "Alfalfa Growers Face New Aphanomyces Concern."
SiloStop, which makes oxygen-barrier film used to keep air from stored silage, has given its plastic a fashion update – from clear to an orange color. For more on oxygen-barrier films, read our story, "A Good Seal Keeps Oxygen Out, Losses Down."
Karyn and Bob Schauf, Barron, WI, took top honors at the World Forage Analysis Superbowl for their BMR corn silage entry.

Commercialism and education were alive and well at the Oct. 2-6 World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI. Livestock producers showcased their animals' genetics, hay growers displayed their hay and companies presented the latest technologies. Expo goers were also treated to a variety of seminars, virtual tours and exhibits showing new and proved products. Here's a slice of what was offered.