March Madness on the dairy

It’s that time of year again. Time for suspense and the thrill of fierce competition. Time for teams to join together in the ultimate competition of knowledge, skill and teamwork. We look forward to this season that captures the passion and commitment of players, coaches and fans alike. What we are referring to is not the March Madness you are probably thinking of, but rather the bracket challenge thousands of 4-H kids partake in every spring — dairy quiz bowl.

4-H dairy quiz bowl is a knowledge-based competition on all things dairy. Teams of four members compete face-to-face, answering questions posed by a moderator. Topics include reproduction, nutrition, judging, milk quality, dairy products, health and more. Teams receive points for correct answers and may lose points for incorrect answers. After an initial round of questions posed to each individual team member, questions are offered up for grabs with teams using buzzers and nerves of steel to battle skills of knowledge and speed. The team with the highest final score is the winner.

This year, our entire family has been immersed in the fun, with Ellen’s oldest participating on Meeker County’s junior division team. As a family, we have been spending time helping Adeline learn all things dairy. Megan explained reproduction, health and common diseases. Ellen reviewed parts of the cow, the unified scorecard and dairy history. Even Papa joined in the fun, as he covered topics such as acid detergent fiber, fat-soluble vitamins, dietary cation-anion difference diets and all things nutrition.

Through this process, our family was reminded of the massive amount of research and information that has elevated our industry to what it is today. We have rediscovered facts forgotten long ago and learned a few new things along the way. One of the most rewarding aspects of working with youth to prepare for the quiz bowl contests are the moments when youth can suddenly witness concepts learned in practice, firsthand on the dairy. Watching the excitement and understanding “click” on the face of a youth as they help with milk fever and really understand the physiological process of what is occurring is priceless. Or when junior members witness a cow jumping on another cow and suddenly realize why that is happening and what that means to the dairy producer. There are so many simple things we witness each day as we move along; having youth learn the knowledge and begin to understand and ask questions reminds us why we decided on this career in the first place. Older youth participants in the quiz bowl contests who may work on a dairy come to understand why they are completing the tasks assigned to them in a particular way. That understanding changes their mentality from one of just working to get the job done to one of working with curiosity, interest and observation.

Dairy quiz bowl provides youth with a nidus for greater learning and excitement about possible future career choices in our beloved dairy industry. The immense amount of knowledge and areas of expertise that are required in our current industry are extremely difficult to explain to youth when considering future career choices, especially if they are not raised on a dairy farm. Therefore, participation in these events gives them a further understanding of the wealth of information and data that drives our dairies and allows them to explore various areas of the industry. They are further able to discover areas that they may have a particular interest in — many times steering them in their future endeavors.

At the time of publication, the season will be drawing to a close as the final coaches and teams are gunning for championships. We strongly encourage youth or families currently who are not participating but are interested in the quest for knowledge — and fun — of all things dairy to keep their eyes open at the end of this year when enrollment opens for the subsequent season. Contact your local 4-H county office for more information on getting in on the March Madness.

Megan Schrupp and Ellen Stenger are sisters and co-owners of both NexGen Dairy and NexGen Market in Eden Valley, Minnesota. They can be reached at [email protected].