The 2011 Michigan Dairy Expo got off to an exciting start last month when the Supreme Champion Dairy animal, exhibited by Parker Hardy of Tipton, Michigan, topped the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-abration with an impressive bid of $21,000. The buyer of the first dairy lot of the livestock sale was a strong contingency of dairy industry supporters who pooled their money to purchase the winning lot. In total $33,000 was bid on four dairy lots: Supreme Champion; Reserve Junior Champion exhibited by Sarah Michalek, Deckerville, Michigan; Supreme Dairy Showman Brittany Westendorp of Nashville, Michigan; and the Grand Champion Cheese exhibited by the Michigan State University Dairy Plant. The money raised through the selling of the dairy lots goes back into the statewide dairy youth fund of the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund. The 4-H members exhibiting the winning animal receive $1,000 each.


The buyers of the dairy lots were:

• Champion Dairy Cow exhibited by Parker Hardy that sold for $21,000: Michigan Milk Producers Association; Varnum Law Firm; Kroger Co. of Michigan; Zeeland Farm Services; Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee; Michigan Soybean Association; NorthStar Cooperative; Dairy Farmers of America; Calder Dairy; Vita Plus; and Caledonia Elevator.

• The buyer of the Champion Dairy Heifer exhibited by Sarah Michalek was Ken Nobis, Nobis Dairy Farm, for $2,100.

• The buyer of the Supreme Champion Dairy Showman exhibited by Brittany Westendorp was Kalmbach Feeds for $5,000.

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• The buyer of the Grand Champion Cheese was United Dairy Industry of Michigan for $4,900.

The dairy animals were represented by a dairy gift basket in the sale.

“The Michigan dairy industry is a vibrant and growing industry and we need to encourage these kids interested in our industry to stay involved, to stay excited about our industry and to stay here in Michigan,” says Ken Nobis, president of Michigan Milk Producers Association.

The Michigan Dairy Expo is a week-long education event featuring the State 4-H Dairy Show, educational contests and State breed association dairy shows. This year more than 300 4-H members from around the state will participate in one or more of the events.

In addition to supporting the Michigan Dairy Expo, money raised through the sale is also used for scholarships and statewide educational grants. PD

—From Michigan Milk Producers Association news release