NYS Junior Dairy Leader Program invites applicants

The NYS Junior Dairy Leader program is for 16 to 19 years who have an interest in learning about dairy industry careers and leadership development. Applications are due to Debbie Grusenmeyer by June 30th. It is a great opportunity.

Information is available on the dairy youth site of Animal Science and the Pro-Dairy website ( www.ansci.cornell.edu or www.ansci.cornell.edu/prodairy) or by contacting Debbie at 607-255-0656 or djc27@cornell.edu.

4-H Camp Wyomoco Dairy STEM Camp

4-H Camp Wyomoco will be offering Dairy STEM Camp July 4th through July 9th, 2010 for youth ages 15-18. This program is for any youth that are looking to enhance their knowledge and skills in the dairy industry.

Sessions will begin each morning at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Sessions will be instructed by renowned individuals from the regions dairy industry. Campers will spend each day participating in dairy related activities. Last year campers took part in 13 different tours of agriculture related businesses and heard from 33 different presenters.

Cost per camper is $100. Enrollment is limited to 25 campers.

If you have any questions about the program please give Shawn Tiede a call at 585-786-2251 or visit their camp website.

4-H Dairy Camp

This year’s Dairy Camp is Saturday June 5 at Miner Institute in Chazy, New York. For more information and a registration packet, visit our website.

CCE Essex County Bonafide Bovine Day

Essex County 4-H program will have a Bonafide Bovine Day on April 24 from 10 AM to 3 PM. This day will include all things bovine including dairy quiz bowl, hoof care, lunch, a movie and more.

Fulton-Montgomery Counties 4-H Dairy Judging Tour

Tour Date: April 24th , 2010 10:30 a.m.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Fulton and Montgomery Counties is once again hosting a 4-H Dairy Judging Tour that is open to all 4-H youth from any county.

This year's Dairy Judging Tour will begin at Clay Hill Farm (On Clay Hill Road and will be hosted by Dr. Lisa Tobler and Kerry Stowell). The tour will also visit Stowdale Farm (also hosted by Dr. Lisa Tobler and Kerry Stowell) at 1545 Kennedy Road, St. Johnsville. and The Feagles Farm, 1481 Kennedy Road, St. Johnsville.

Please pre-register by contacting Bonnie Peck at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Fulton and Montgomery Counties by April 23, 2010. Please indicate name and 4-H age for each youth attending as well as a contact phone number and/or cell phone number of the adult bringing the 4-H member. Please bring a bag lunch for the day.

Directions: Take route 5 West from St. Johnsville past Repepi's and Lombardo's. Two-three miles further, veer right onto Old Stat Road. (please note: if you cross a steel bridge on route 5, you have gone too far) A short distance up Old State Road, at the stop sign, turn right onto Clay Hill Road. At the top of the hill is the farm with a white barn ad 3 silos. If you get lost, you can call (518) 265-9639. Directions to the following farms will be provided at the first farm.

Dairy Judging Tour

There will be two Dairy Judging tours on Saturday, March 27. The first will be at 10 AM at the Irwin's farm and the second at 1 PM at the LaPierre's farm. 4-Hers in the Dairy Project need to participate in two dairy judging tours before they are eligible to show at Fair.

For more information, please contact the Extension Office at 561-7450 or email ask37@cornell.edu.

Block and Bridle Barnyard Fun Day

The Cornell student Block and Bridle club will hosting a Barnyard Fun Day for elementary/middle school students and 4-H members throughout NYS. The club invites families to spend a fun-filled Saturday learning about animals with undergraduate students in the Animal Science Department before attending the Vet School Open House which runs from 10-4 http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/students/blockbridle/index.html

What: Barnyard Fun Day and Agriculture Education
When: Sat. April 10 (9am – 11:30am)
Where: Cornell University Livestock Pavilion
How? $1/child at the door

Demonstrations and Activities may include:
· Petting zoo filled with baby animals
· A chance to see inside a cow’s stomach
· How to make butter
· How to spin wool into yarn
· How to lead a goat through an obstacle course

Following these fun day activities, families are welcome to stay for a luncheon to be sold by the Collegiate 4-H Club. Spectators may also watch Cornell students at 12:30pm in their annual Livestock Show. Horses, dairy and beef cattle, pigs, sheep and goats will be on site for youngsters to meet their favorite animal.

For additional information, sample flyers and/or directions, please contact, B&B Club President: Katie Stayton – kms289@cornell.edu 315-427-1655 or 607-253-1155.
Pre-registration is not required; however, feel free to e-mail Katie with questions.

New York State Guernsey Calf Award Application

The Calf Scholarship Award Program is sponsored by the New York State Guernsey Breeders Association for the purpose of encouraging those who are not presently owning Guernseys to become involved with the Guernsey Breed. A purebred Guernsey Calf will be awarded to the applicant who shows interest in the Guernsey breed and who has demonstrated the capabilities of developing the animal to its fullest potential. Award will be presented to the winner at the New York State Guernsey Breeders’ Annual Meeting in April.

Rules for Procurement of Award
**Applicant must be age 9-15 as of January 1st of application year.
**You do not have to belong to 4-H, FFA, or a breed club to participate.
**To apply for this calf award, you CAN NOT presently own a Guernsey.
**If you win this calf, you will be REQUIRED to exhibit it in at least one local fair, and also at the New York State Fair for TWO consecutive years. If you do not exhibit the animal at the required fairs, the New York State Guernsey Breeders will make a determination as to the placement of the calf. Our purpose is to promote the Guernsey Calf Scholarship Program, therefore exhibition at the fairs is our prime opportunity to fulfill this mission. Applicant is responsible to find out in advance the requirements for entering at the local and State shows, including entry deadlines and shot requirements for each show. Your county 4-H agent or FFA agent may assist you. The New York State Guernsey Breeders would be willing to help arrange transportation for your animal to the New York State Fair.
**If you happen to fall on financial hard times during the first two years while caring for this calf and need to sell the animal, NYSGB has first refusal rights on buying the animal. You have the option of placing the animal back in the New York State Spring Sale once the animal becomes of milking age if you do not have the facilities to milk the animal.
**If a decision is made by the committee and the board of directors that no applicant is qualified, no calf will be awarded.
**Each winner will be also required to fill out a County Achievement Form each spring. Talk to the Guernsey Youth Advisor for this form.
**If problems arise in the raising of this calf, the New York State Guernsey Breeders Calf Scholarship Committee will be called upon to make the appropriate decisions regarding the calf.
**There will be a followup to check on the calf after 6 months until the animal is two years old.

All applications are due on April 1st this year. If you have any questions regarding this application, you may contact someone from the New York State Guernsey Breeders Association, or Guernsey Youth Advisor, Christel Axtell–607-761-9443 or 607-467-4365 or Axtell7@juno.com

New York Ayrshire Club Calf Scholarship

The purpose of the Calf Scholarship Award Program is to select a youth who is worthy of the award and to provide money that can be used to help purchase a Registered Ayrshire Calf at a public auction. The program offers the opportunity to a youth who has demonstrated the interest and ability to develop the calf to her fullest potential and who will also grow through this project.

Applicants for this award must meet the following specifications:

Age limit ~ 8-15 years of age as of January 1st of the current year.

Ownership ~ the youth member cannot own more than 2 Registered Ayrshire or 2 registered animals of another breed.

Housing Facilities ~ youth must have adequate facilities and supervision to raise a calf in New York State.

Junior Ayrshire Membership~ Applicants must be or must be willing to join the New York and National Junior Ayrshire Club. Applicant must be a resident of New York State.

Farm Visits ~ youth must welcome periodic farm visits.

Show Calf ~ Winner must be willing to show the calf at appropriate shows.


Applications must be postmarked by the deadline of March 15 2010.
The scholarship will be announced prior to the New York Spring Carousel Sale.
Assistance will be available in selecting the calf if needed.

Contact the Extension Office for application materials.

Cornell University Presents Animal Crackers 2010 Healthy Herds

By Janet Pfromm, Agriculture Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension Chenango County

The Cornell University Department of Animal Science is pleased to announce Animal Crackers 2010 "Healthy Herds" on Saturday, May 1, 2010 at Cornell University. The up-coming program will incorporate both dairy and livestock (sheep and beef) topics for youth ages 9-12 or those with a beginners/intermediate knowledge of the species. All youth, 4-H and non-4-H, are invited to participate. Adult chaperones are also invited to attend to make Healthy Herds a family event!

Interesting, educational, hands-on activities are being planned to make Healthy Herds a memorable teaching event. Participants will have the opportunity to learn cattle or sheep care, biology, or management while having fun. There will also be sessions on exploring animal science careers, learning games, and much, much more!

Beginner and Intermediate 4-H members in the livestock area will learn:
· How Good’s the Meat? Learn more about where meat cuts come from and what makes good carcass quality in this ultrasounding workshop.
· Making the Most of Meat. Do you know how to manage your animals to grow and sell the best in meat? This meat quality assurance workshop will incorporate best management practices into animal raising.
· Healthy Hide and Hair. Find out about a lot of safe, low-cost, easy-to-find household items that you can use to put extra sparkle on your show animal!
· Cutting It Up. Anyway you cut it up meat tastes great! Learn how those different cuts are made and how to identify them in the meat aisle.
· Plus workshops on veterinary care, healthy hooves, and manure!

Those interested in beginning dairy topics will learn about:
· Holey Holsteins. Here’s your chance to feel a rumen in motion as you stick your arm into a fistulated cow! Learn more about how the most efficient “green machine” works.
· Fixing Feet. Think a hoof trimmer’s job is easy? Learn what it takes to fix those feet, from trimming to wrapping to blocking and everything in between!
· Got Good Milk? Learn what it takes to make Super Milk and prevent mastitis from udder to bulk tank. Guaranteed to be a udderly good time!
· Managing Manure. Manure is more than you think, it can tell you if a cow is healthy, add nutrients to soil and so much more!
· Mmm…Milk. How many yummy things is nature’s perfect food turned into? How good are those foods for you? Challenge your taste buds and find out!
· My Space, Your Space. Having a healthy herd is also about healthy relationships with your community. Challenge yourself by trying to set up your farm and learn how your neighbors may affect your decisions.

Group activities are planned for both lunch and closing. How infectious can you be? Find out as everyone tries to outwit germs in the “Got Immunity” game with Eileen McGuire. Closing the program, adults and youth will break into groups to solve a herd health mystery, CSI-style! Kathy Finnerty, NYSCHAP, will moderate and help you to put all of the clues and answers together.

Cost of the program will be $5 for youth and adult chaperones and everyone is asked to bring their own lunches or visit the Cornell Dairy Store. Registration for the event will be done through your local Cornell Cooperative Extension Office and must be completed no later than March 29, 2010. All groups must have at least one chaperone per species tract. More information can be found on the Animal Crackers website. Mark your calendars for one the most exciting animal science programs of 2010!

Dairy Discovery Workshop

Held at Morrison Hall, Cornell University on March 26-27, 2010, the annual Dairy Discovery program provides New York youth with fun, hands-on science-oriented learning experiences on dairy production and management topics which feature the unique facilities, industry professionals, and staff of Cornell University. More information is available online.

When/Where: Dairy Discovery is a hands-on workshop held annually at Cornell in late March. It is a statewide program for youth ages 15-19 years old. Each year the youth will spend the 1½ days (Friday afternoon until Saturday late afternoon) here on campus learning about dairy careers and rotating through a series of hands-on stations which focus on a specific aspect of the dairy field each year. The focusing for the Dairy Discovery workshops changes each year but includes the following areas: Dairy Herd Health and Management, Calf and Heifer Production Management, Quality Milk and Milk Production, Whole Farm Management Planning, and Maximizing the Feed Management Program.

Who: Due to the hands on approach of the sessions, participation is limited to the first 60 individuals to enroll by deadline. Youth who are 15-19 years of age as of January 1, of the current year and have an interest in dairy cattle and production management are eligible and strongly encouraged to attend (with their parents or chaperones).

Why: Participants will get to meet Cornell faculty and students, learn about different aspects of dairy production management and dairy industry related careers. They will also be able to interact and exchange information with professional producers, industry experts, and more! Hands-on workshops are planned for each focus area.

How: Please contact your county 4-H office for details and registration. Registration is handled through county 4-H offices. The cost of $45 per person is billed directly to Cornell county accounts to cover basic handout, materials, dinner and activities on Friday evening, and lunch on Saturday. Lodging is NOT included for this program but a group of hotel rooms are blocked prior to this event each year and detailed information for making lodging accommodations is sent to county 4-H offices. 4-H project members and FFA youth with a dairy interest or desire to learn about dairy are strongly encouraged to attend (with their parents or chaperones).

What: Workshop presenters and topics are selected by a planning committee that looks at trends and current issues. Youth input on topics is also solicited through statewide advisory committees and educator feedback.