Colby FFA attends World Dairy Expo

In October, Colby FFA took 44 members to World Dairy Expo in Madison. This annual trip gives students the opportunity to learn more about the dairy industry, watch dairy shows, and see the newest technology in the industry.

The students are allowed to explore the show, touring the exhibit buildings, watching demonstrations, as well as the cow shows.

FFA member Leah Houk also competed in showmanship during this year’s trip.

One highlight from the show was the innovative technology showcased at the event.

“We saw the new DeLaval robot in the main building, and the VMS 300 is very impressive with more new features,” said Alexis Gumz, Colby FFA officer. “We also went around the outsides of the buildings where all of the machinery is located. The new equipment is really impressive.”

Another highlight for the students was walking around the show barns, looking at all the animals.

“The students were very interested in how the heifers and cows were groomed,” Gumz said. “They also were intrigued by all of the different kinds of animals there and the fact that the different breeds got groomed differently.”

Although the weather was not nice the day Colby FFA attended, the students enjoyed grabbing a signature WDE grilled cheese to help warm them up.

After the long day of walking around, meeting new people, seeing new things, and watching the heifer shows, students headed back home with an abundance of show goodies and stories to tell.

“Overall it was a really good trip with learning experiences, fun times, and it was a great time for all or us,” Gumz said. “We hope to have more trips like this in the future with even more student inclusion in the future.”