Clemson Dairy Science Club students win at 2022 South Carolina State Fair

Elizabeth McCabe, Hannah Culler, Grace Covan, Victoria Mueller, Taylor Hancock, Sydney-Grace Lewis, Chloé Greaux, Chloe Link, Lydia Owens. — Clemson University Dairy Science Club members competing in the 2022 S.C. State Fair are front row, from left: Sara Mozafar, London Chastain, Jessica Graham, Lauren Epps, Heather Sarver, Haley Scarborough, Jessica Zayas Pardo and Emaleigh Walters. Second row, from left: Elizabeth McCabe, Hannah Culler, Grace Covan, Victoria Mueller, Taylor Hancock, Sydney-Grace Lewis, Chloé Greaux, Chloe Link and Lydia Owens.

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November 21, 2022November 22, 2022

Members of the Clemson University Dairy Science Club received several honors after competing in the 2022 South Carolina State Fair.

Students and their bovine partners taking home awards include Lauren Epps, an animal and veterinary sciences major from Marietta, South Carolina, and her cow, Orillia. Epps and Orillia placed 4th in Jersey Conformation (form or structure), and 5th place in Showmanship. Preparing for and competing in State Fair contests complements what is taught in Clemson classes.

“We spent a minimum of four hours per week getting our cows used to the halter and practicing setting them up as if a judge were watching us,” Epps said. “Practicing these skills and learning what judges look for complements what is learned in the classroom, in that we have real-life experience of identifying attractive traits in livestock.”

Elizabeth McCabe, an animal and veterinary sciences major from Lexington, South Carolina, and her cow, Vega, placed 2^nd in Collegiate Jersey Showmanship. Her cow placed 6th in Junior Jersey conformation.

“This includes halter breaking the animal and practicing leading and setting them up to compete in the show ring,” McCabe said. “It also involves learning as much information as possible about dairy cows and their physical conformation.”

Clemson Dairy Science Club members also participate in clinics and mock shows to help them prepare for competition.

“Halter breaking is the first aspect of training,” said Lydia Owens, Dairy Science Club show chairperson from Pickens, South Carolina. “Once the heifers are used to walking on a halter, they start to learn the more fine-tuned details of showing such as a higher head carriage, a slow walking gait, and setting up their feet and legs and being able to switch them.”

Training students receive complements dairy knowledge gained in the classroom. During shows, students must be prepared to answer conformation-related questions about their heifer, which gives them experience with assessing a dairy heifer for ideal body conformation and structure as well as flaws. They also must know their heifer’s parents introducing them to some of the genetics associated with dairy cows. Students also gain experience working with the different breeds such as Jersey, Holstein, Guernsey and Brown Swiss, as well as learn the differences in purpose, structure and temperaments among the breeds.

Clemson Dairy Science Club Winners
at 2022 S.C. State Fair

Clemson Dairy Science Club members and their bovine partners winning at the 2022 South Carolina State Fair are:

·      Holstein Showmanship category: 1^st Place Jessica Graham and “Minnie, “2^nd Place Grace Covan and “Kate,” and 3^rd Place Emaleigh Walters and “Dory.”
·      Brown Swiss Showmanship category: 1^st Place Lydia Owens and “Dolly,” 2^nd Place Taylor Hancock and “Nan,” and 3^rd Place Jessica Zayas Pardo and “Oakley.”
·      Guernsey Showmanship category: 1^st Place Chloe Greaux and “Elsie.”
·      Jersey Showmanship category: 1^st Place Victoria Mueller with “Penny,” 2^nd Place Elizabeth McCabe and “Vega,” 3^rd Place Hannah Culler and “Ruby,” and 5^th Place Lauren Epps and “Orillia.”
·      Holstein Conformation Category: 1^st Place in Junior and Open Summer Yearling Heifer Class and Honorable Mention Breed Champion Emaleigh Walters and “Dory” (Clemson Charlston 4722 Tish), 1^st Place in Spring Heifer Calf of the Junior and Open shows and Reserve Junior Breed Champion Haley Scarborough and “Minnie” (Clemson Tropic 4019 Julie), 2^nd Place in Winter Heifer Class Grace Covan and “Kate” (Clemson Daredevil 4837 Pear).
·      Brown Swiss Conformation Category: Winter Heifer Class: 2^nd Place in Junior and 3^rd Place in Open Lydia Owens and “Dolly” (Clemson Spark Dolly). Fall Heifer Class: 1^st Place in Junior and 2^nd Place in Open Taylor Hancock and “Nan” (Clemson Bosephus Nan). Spring Yearling Heifer Class: 1^st Place in Junior and 2^nd Place in Open Chloe Link and “Oakley” (Clemson Diego Freya).
·      Guernsey Conformation Category: Fall Heifer Calf Class: 5^th Place in Junior and 7^th Place in Open Sydney Grace Lewis and “Elsie” (Aldens HH Reputation Unforgettable).
·      Jersey Conformation Category: Summer Yearling Heifer Class: 3^rd Place in Junior and 4^th Place in Open Heather Sarver and “Penny” (Clemson Holeinone 523 144). Spring Heifer Calf Class: 6^th Place in Junior and 8^th Place in Open Elizabeth McCabe and “Vega,” (Clemson Shocker 724 208). Fall Heifer Calf Class: 4^th Place in Junior and 7^th Place in Open Lauren Epps and “Orillia” (Cherub Colton Orillia), 7^th Place Sara Etezadmozafar and “Ruby” (Clemson Holeinone 523 144).

Clemson Dairy Science Club

Cows shown during the State Fair are owned by Clemson University. Reta Miller, Clemson LaMaster Dairy Center manager, said students from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to join the Dairy Science Club. The Dairy Center is part of the Clemson Piedmont Research and Education Center.

“What is unique about the Dairy Science Club is that no experience is required,” Miller said. “Dues are very minimal which encourages students from all backgrounds to participate.”

Participating in the club gives students hands-on time with large animals, particularly cows. Once the students complete all necessary university training, they are assigned a heifer and begin training that animal to lead on a halter. Once they have mastered leading and walking, students begin teaching their heifer how to appropriately walk for show and the correct ways to set up their feet.

“Once animals are comfortable on the halter and have experienced the organized chaos that is a cattle show, they become calmer,” said Miller, who joined the Clemson Dairy Science Club Show Team as a freshman in 2011. “Having calm animals makes them easier to handle on all areas of the farm and also makes them better candidates for research projects.”

Miller became LaMaster Dairy Center manager in 2021. Each semester, she typically employs six students to work on the farm.

“From my experience, participating in the show team is what gets people interested in not only working at the dairy farm but learning about the dairy industry as a whole,” she said.

Grace Covan, a senior from Honea Path, South Carolina, and Clemson Dairy Science Club president, said the show team accepts new members every semester.

“Dairy Science Club members work to advocate for the dairy industry which is quickly dying out in South Carolina,” Covan said. “We go on farm tours to educate members about how different farms operate. We then apply what we learn to teach others at the various farm shows and community events we attend as a club. I’ve been a member of the club for 3 years. During this time I’ve made some of my best friends.”

Covan said the club is always looking for new members and invites anyone who is interested to contact them at Clemsondairyscienceclub@gmail.com.

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