Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County recently was awarded a grant from the Cornell University Animal Science Department to host a dairy judging clinic for 4-H youth in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.

Thirty local 4-H youth between the ages of 9 and 19 interested in learning more about dairy cattle participated in the hands-on educational clinic.

The primary objective of 4-H dairy judging is to provide an opportunity for youth enrolled in the 4-H youth development program to learn how to evaluate dairy cattle for desirable physical traits. The youth then correctly place and defend their placings by giving oral reasons. Each class includes four dairy cattle and the youth’s placings and reasons are scored by an official dairy judge. The physical traits of dairy cattle translate into how much milk a cow produces and how functional and profitable the dairy cow is to the dairy farmer. Such information is used to select dairy cattle for showing at county and state fairs and for making decisions on which dairy cattle to milk on a dairy farm.

An important youth development objective is to teach youth critical thinking skills, to focus and make decisions, how to work within a time limit to evaluate the animals, present a set of oral reasons to an official dairy cattle judge, and develop a young person’s confidence to speak in public.

The official judge for the clinic was Dr. Doug Waterman, who traveled from Madison, N.Y., to teach the local youth. Waterman is a leader in the agricultural feed industry and serves as a 4-H dairy judging coach with the Cornell University dairy judging teams. Waterman has mentored and coached many youth from across New York state who have competed in 4-H dairy judging contests, on the state and national levels.

Abigail Jantzi of Clymer, a local 4-H youth who has excelled in the dairy judging program for the past six years in Chautauqua County, helped bring Waterman to the area. She represented Chautauqua County on the state dairy judging team at three National Dairy Judging Competitions in her 4-H career. In 2014, Jantzi participated in the 4-H youth judging contest at the World Dairy Expo in Madison Wisc., where the most accomplished youth from across the nation compete in 4-H dairy judging. The state team of four youth, in which Abigail was a member, received sixth place team overall; fifth place team in oral reasons, with Abigail earning eighth place individually.

“Participating in the 4-H dairy judging program and working with Dr. Doug Waterman as my coach has helped me become the dairy judge and overall the person I am today,” Abigail said. “I have learned to form my own opinions and stand behind them, even if others may not agree. I have gained valuable experiences and life lessons from the 4-H program I will carry with me forever.”

Youth who participated in the clinic include: Austin and Chase Crowell of Forestville; Derek Dechow of Little Valley; Kayla Dechow of Lawtons; Brason Frederes of Falconer; Autumn Gregory of Forestville; Aaron and Cameron Gross of Cattaraugus; Tori Hitchcock of Randolph; Tricia Holton of Arcade; Abigail Jantzi of Clymer; Heidi Moss of Conewango Valley; Chance and Trenton Meeder of Sherman; Andrew and Katelyn Miller of Cherry Creek; Bob and Lynn Dee Nagel of Clymer; Brandon Nickerson of Sherman; Cole and Miranda Nickerson of Clymer; Cali Schneider of Little Valley; Jacob Sears of Falconer; James Spruce of South Dayton; Owen Ward of Falconer; Clarke and Joyce Wiltsie of Frewsburg; and Lily, Madison and Sophia Woodis of Dewittville.

The 4-H youth will compete in upcoming 4-H dairy judging contests at the Chautauqua and Cattaraugus county fairs in late July and August.