Morrisville State takes first place in World Dairy Expo dairy cattle judging contest

Morrisville State placed first as the high team overall and as a team in the reasons category at the International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held recently at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis.



Team member Evan Castrogiovanni, of Montrose, Pa., was first place overall high individual and overall reasons individual. Evan also was the high individual for the Ayrshire class.



Team members Alton Rudgers, of Attica, placed second in individual reasons and fourth in overall individual and was high individual for the Red and White Holsteins; Logan Martin, of Salamanca, finished third in individuals reasons and fifth in overall individual; and Drew Hill, of Cattaraugus, was the high individual in the Milking Shorthorn Class, and placed thirteenth overall.



Other results:

Castrogiovann was third in the individual placings and second in the in the high individual Guernsey class

Rudgers was sixth in the individual placings and fourth in the high individual Guernsey class

Martin was seventh in individual placings, third in the high individual Guernsey class and second in the high individual Holstein class.



As a team, Morrisville State placed first in the Ayrshire Class, Guernsey class, and Red & White Holstein class, and was also second in the Holstein class and the Jersey class.



Thirteen post-secondary teams competed in the contest which included two portions: a conventional judging contest with evaluation and individual reasons, and a practical segment. The practical contest is a unique contest that includes essential on-farm skills with linear scoring, registered heifer evaluations and commercial heifer evaluations.



The team is led by Matthew Bruno, MSC assistant professor of dairy science. Also assisting in the judging team's training are: Chris Smithgall, a Morrisville State alumnus and dairy farmer in Perry, NY; Jenny Mills, associate consultant-dairy marketing at Elanco Animal Health, Canada; and Dr. Doug Waterman, director of dairy technology application at Shur-Gain.