World Dairy Expo features five full days of world-class cattle competition among North America’s top dairy breeders. More than 70,000 visitors from nearly 100 countries are expected to experience the largest dairy-focused event in the world Oct. 3-7 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wis.

Some 850 commercial exhibitors from nearly 30 countries will be unveiling their newest products and services at this year’s show, as well.

“World Dairy Expo is the must-attend event for everyone in the global dairy industry,” says Kristin Olson, World Dairy Expo media relations manager. “For five days, dairy youth, producers, enthusiasts, companies and organizations come together to compete and exchange ideas, knowledge and technology in order to help the dairy community thrive for generations to come.”

The theme of this year’s show is “Discover New Dairy Worlds.” According to Olson, producers attend Expo for a variety of reasons. “For more than five decades, dairy enthusiasts have come to Expo to watch the best dairy cattle in North America and learn about the cutting-edge technology and latest dairy equipment on display in the trade show and expo seminars,” she says.

Some 2,500 head of dairy cattle will parade through the show ring, across Expo’s famous colored shavings. Eight international breed shows will culminate with the crowning of World Dairy Expo’s 2017 Supreme Champion on Saturday, Oct. 7. Five breed sales featuring top-shelf genetics also will take place on the grounds during the week.

More than 871 participating companies from 27 countries, six Canadian provinces and 45 U.S. states took part in the 2016 show, and a similar group will be unveiling their newest products and services at this year’s show. The huge Expo trade show offers a wide array of modern dairy farm equipment and products in the Outdoor Trade Mall, Arena, Coliseum, New Holland Trade Center and Exhibition Hall. Everything from the latest in milking equipment to large fans and computerized cow health monitoring systems will be on display. To learn about new products featured in the trade show, visit the Innovation Unveiled section of worlddairyexpo.com.

Daily seminars
World Dairy Expo also offers free daily seminars on dairy management and other industry issues. These programs will offer visitors technical expertise to help them stay knowledgeable and competitive in the global marketplace.

Forage experts will share valuable information at free daily seminars on the dairy forage seminar stage.

Virtual Farm Tours allow attendees to explore a variety of successful dairy operations from across North America without leaving the World Dairy Expo site. Each free half-hour visual presentation, led by dairy producers, is followed by a question-and-answer session. Attendees can tour these farms and learn about them face to face, producer to producer.

World Dairy Expo also hosts numerous competitions, including national and international judging and skills contests at the 4-H, FFA, intercollegiate and postsecondary levels.

In addition, winners of the 2017 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Products Contest will be honored on opening day, and winning forage samples from the 2017 World Forage Analysis Superbowl will be on display throughout the week.

Hours for the World Dairy Expo Trade Show are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Oct. 4-8. Daily admission is $12 per person, and season passes are $35 per person. Parking is free.

For more information, visit worlddairyexpo.com, call 608-224-6455 or email [email protected].

2017 dairy cattle show schedule

To complete eight cattle shows in five days, several breed shows must take place at the same time in the Coliseum (C). Most sales take place in the Estrumate Sale Pavilion (SP). Here is the schedule:

Oct.3
7:15 a.m. International Junior Holstein Show (C)
7:30 a.m. International Ayrshire Show — cows and groups (C)
3 p.m. International Jersey Show — heifers (C)
3 p.m. International Milking Shorthorn Show — heifers (C)
 
Oct. 4
7:30 a.m. International Jersey Show — cows and groups (C)
12:30 p.m. International Milking Shorthorn Show — cows and groups (C)
2 p.m. International Brown Swiss Show — heifers (C)
4 p.m. Top of the World Jersey Sale (SP)

Oct. 5
7:30 a.m. International Brown Swiss Show — cows and groups (C)
1:30 p.m. International Guernsey Show — heifers (C)
1:30 p.m. International Red and White Show— heifers (C)
2 p.m. World Premier Brown Swiss Sale (SP)
Following Brown Swiss sale World Premier Milking Shorthorn Sale (SP)
6 p.m. Youth Showmanship (C)

Oct. 6
7:30 a.m. International Guernsey Show — cows and groups (C)
7:30 a.m. International Red & White Show — cows and groups (C)
Noon International Holstein Show — heifers (C)
7 p.m. World Classic ’17 Holstein Sale (C)

Oct. 7
8 a.m. International Holstein Show — cows and groups (C)
5 p.m. Parade of Champions and Selection of Supreme Champions (C)