FFA students from area schools pet Molly McButter (not her real name) at the FFA District Dairy Judging Competition Wednesday, Sept. 4. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
VALE – The hundreds of cows at Dairylain Farms got a visit from hundreds of students in Malheur County’s FFA clubs Wednesday, Sept. 4. Students, from high schools in Vale, Ontario, Nyssa, Harper, Adrian and Jordan Valley, gathered around curious Jersey cows for the District Dairy Judging Contest.
Owned by Warren and Lori Chamberlain, the dairy farm opens its doors to Malheur County students every year for a tour of the facility and the annual competition. After learning about the robot feeders and automatic milking operation at the farm, students got a chance to test what they learned while judging four different classes of cows. Below are the winners.
Beginner Team
1st place: Nyssa
2nd place: Ontario
3rd place: Adrian
Advanced Team
1st place: Vale
2nd place: Adrian
3rd place: Nyssa
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Before the students began judging the cows, Jason and Mary Chamberlain pointed out key characteristics the students should look for. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez).
Alissa Cole, a 10th grade Nyssa High FFA member, pets one of the cows. “To make the animal trust you, you have to let them sniff your hand,” Cole explained. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
Jason Chamberlain, co-owner of Dairylain Farms, takes students on a tour of the farm’s robot milking operations. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
Students went on a tour of Dairylain Farms to see how a robot milker operates. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
Greta Chamberlain, a 4-H member and Willowcreek Elementary student, handles a cow on her family’s dairy farm. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
Students from FFA clubs in Vale, Nyssa, Ontario, Harper, Adrian and Jordan Valley gathered at Dairlylain Farms in Vale Wednesday, Sept.4 for a district dairy judging competition. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
Four classes of cows were paraded for the FFA members to judge. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
Curious cows at Dairylain Farms gaze at students. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
Students walk toward the pen where they would be judging four classes of cows at the FFA District Dairy Judging Competition Wednesday, Sept. 4. (The Enterprise/Yadira Lopez)
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