“Our goal for the contest was to engage everyone through sight, smell, touch, and science,” said Connie Kuber, Connor Agriscience. “The contest normally would be held at the World Ag Expo, but with no show this year, we conducted it virtually. There is always something new to learn about forage, no matter how long you’ve been making it. Every year Mother Nature presents a different harvest scenario. The better prepared we are to meet that challenge through planning, communicating with our harvest crews, and keeping an eye on harvest method, the more dry matter and nutrients we’ll have. Our winners are great examples of that kind of care and attention to detail.”
Contest results follow. Winners will receive a plaque and prize money in each category: First place $500, Second place $250, Third place $100.
ALFALFA HAYLAGE
First place: Chowchilla South Dairy, Chowchilla, CA
Second place: John DeGroot and Sons Dairy, Fresno, CA
Third place: Chowchilla North Dairy, Chowchilla, CA
WINTER FORAGE
First place: Milk Made Dairy, Ballico, CA
Second place: Cloverdale Dairy, Hanford, CA
Third place: Flint Dairy, Hanford, CA
CORN SILAGE
First place: Scheenstra Dairy, Tipton, CA
Second place: Crossview Dairy, Oakdale, CA
Third place: Jacobus DeGroot Dairy #1,Visalia, CA
The Sealpro® YOU be the Judge Contest was also held virtually. Entrants placed four corn silage samples. Twenty-five entries competed for prize money at each level: First place $250, Second place $100, Third and Fourth place $50.
FFA CHAPTER TEAM
First place: Ripon Christian FFA, Ripon, CA
COLLEGIATE TEAM
First place: Iowa State CVM 2023 Bovine Doctors, Ames, IA
Second place: Miner Institute, Chazy, NY
INDIVIDUAL
First place: Ashlee Cormier, Berwick, ME
Second place: Laurie Winkelman, Appleton,WI
Third place: Charlie Leech, Lexington,VA
Fourth place: Tony Lopes, Gustine, CA
