By Bethany Champion, 2024 Sunbelt Expo Social Media Intern
The annual cow milking contest is a highly anticipated fan favorite event during the Expo. At the dairy barn, you’ll always find a large crowd of eager viewers ready to cheer on the contestants. Contestants are tasked with a three-minute milking challenge to determine who can collect the most milk in that amount of time. Three competitors milk three cows, each cow for one minute. The milk is then measured to see which competitor will become the reigning champion. Today’s contest champion is Dr. Nick Place, Dean and Director of UGA College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Colleen Larson, University of Florida IFAS Extension came in very close second place. Chris Denmark from the Florida Department of Agriculture finished up in 3rd place. All competitors did an outstanding job!
While visiting the dairy barn for the milking contest, be sure to allot some time to hangout for a while! Each day, there are live demonstrations from Nicole Duvall with the Georgia Mobile Dairy Classroom. She discusses how to milk a cow and general dairy information. A baby calf is hanging out in the middle of the barn waiting to be pet by children and adults of all ages. Visit the “Cool like a Cow” exhibit from the dairy alliance, which gives a small peek into what it’s like to be a dairy cow. Be sure to get educational material and cow fans to add in your Expo swag bag. To top it all off, grab some free ice cream and milk for a morning or afternoon stop. If you’re visiting Expo this week, the dairy barn is one stop you will not want to miss!
