The UW-Platteville Pioneer Dairy Club recently held the Pioneer Dairy Classic, a consignment sale that brings in dairy cattle.  This once-a-year fundraiser, which took place during Homecoming Week, involved eighty head of cattle.

 Club advisor and Agriculture Professor Dr. Tera Montgomery, commented that both she and members of the club pride themselves on professionalism within the dairy industry.

 While it’s perhaps not surprising, given the number of dairy farms in the area, that UW-Platteville has a Dairy Club, membership is open to any student interested in the dairy industry.  As Montgomery explained, that does not mean a student has to know a lot about cows, because the industry is broad with its animals, as well as its products.

 Anna Evenson, the Dairy Club reporter, said that not only were they in charge of the animal care during sale week, they also ran the sale and even provided a concession stand while the sale was in full swing. Evenson added that sale week was her favorite part of being in Dairy Club. 

 “The club really comes together during this week,” Evenson said.

 Other events that Pioneer Dairy Club participates in include the American Dairy Association (ADA) conference, where students from this organization can meet with other dairy clubs in the Midwest. This will be an opportunity for members in February.

Throughout the year, members will be able to listen to guest speakers from the industry and take tours of various farms and even a cheese factory. Some hands-on experiences include running the Ethics Booth at the World Dairy Expo held during the first week in October. There, members run a check-in booth for grand champion animals that needed to have udder ultrasounds after winning their classes. 

“Working the Ethics Booth was a great opportunity. Being a part of the biggest dairy show in the world and working with some of the best cattle in the world was a great experience,” Newer member Josh Wianecki said.

 Pioneer Dairy Club hosts meetings on Tuesday nights in Russell Hall in room 117 at 7:30 pm.