Activities
Boilermaker Heifer Sale
The Dairy Club organized its first Heifer Sale in 2003. Each year, the
heifer sale improves in quality of animals and hopes to one day be an
elite sale within the state of Indiana. The Boilermaker Heifer Sale
welcomes all dairy breeds and features the best of Indiana. For more
information on the sale go to the
Heifer Sale website.
Ag Council Ice Cream Social
At the beginning of each fall semester the Dairy Club along with many
other option clubs within Purdue University’s College of Agriculture set
up displays and mingle with incoming freshmen as well as returning
students during an ice cream social event in front of Lilly Lobby. The
social is held to recruit new members to the club and to reunite with
current members.
Ag Council Hog Roast
During the middle of October, the Purdue College of Agriculture Council invites all agricultural students and option club members to attend a Hog Roast at the Agriculture Mall in front of the Food Science building. The Dairy Club supplies drinks, marshmallows, or some other item for the Hog Roast each year. It is a great opportunity for the club to show support for the College of Agriculture and to bond with peers and faculty.
World Dairy Expo
Every year the Dairy Club takes a weekend trip to the World Dairy Expo
in Madison, WI. This event is an educational as well as entertaining for
all members who attend.
Tot's Day
As an annual community service event, the Dairy Club make a special
appearance at Tot's Day at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds to help
educate elementary students in the Lafayette area on agriculture and
dairy cattle.
Purdue Invitational Dairy Judging Contest
During the spring semester, the Dairy Club invites Indiana 4-H and FFA members to participate in an annual Invitational Dairy Judging Contest which takes place at the Purdue Research Farm machine shed. 4-H and FFA members judge heifer and cow classes prepared by the Dairy Club members.
Also during the event, Dairy Club members compete in a Showmanship Contest. For this competition, Dairy Club members are assigned a cow or heifer and are responsible for training the animal to lead as well as clipping the animal. During the judging contest, the showmanship contestants are judged on their showmanship techniques and cleanliness of the animal. The winner of the Showmanship Contest is awarded an embroidered jacket.
In addition, the Dairy Club members vote for one person to receive the Sportsmanship Award. This person is selected based on his/her participation throughout the preparation and execution of the contest. As well, his/her willingness to help and teach others is considered. The winner is also awarded an embroidered jacket.
SpringFest and Boiler Barnyard
Annually, Purdue University dedicates an entire weekend, called
Springfest, to agriculture and educating the youth of Indiana and
surrounding areas on the various aspects of agriculture. Each department
and/or club within the College of Agriculture sets up its own display
and educational center. The Purdue Dairy Club sells milk, ice cream, and
grilled cheese during the event.
The Dairy Club also participates in the Boiler Barnyard, where College
of Agriculture option clubs organize an educational program or activity.
The Dairy Club offers IMAC or “I Milked a Cow” for youth and adults to
have the opportunity to milk a cow for $1.
ADSA-SAD Conference
The Dairy Club attends the annual ADSA-SAD Midwest Regional Conference hosted by a different university each year. In 2004, the conference was successfully hosted by the Purdue chapter. Purdue topped the charts with over 500 dairy students in the Midwest in attendance at the conference.
During the conference,
dairy club members attend educational seminars and a semi-formal
banquet. As well, the Purdue Dairy Club competes in a variety of
contests including: karaoke, quiz bowl, display, website, and scrapbook.
Ag Council Leadership Retreat
During the spring semester of 2009, the College of Agriculture Council held its first annual Leadership Retreat at the Beck’s Agronomy Center for option clubs to attend. Several Dairy Club members participated in the event which built on current leadership skills and taught new ones. A variety of activities were completed and a meal was served.
Ag Council Hot Chocolate Social
In February 2009, the first annual Ag Council Hot Chocolate Social was held. The Diary Club and several other College of Agriculture option clubs set up its displays to recruit new members and socialize with current members. The event is very similar to the Ag Council Ice Cream Social held in the Fall.
Clipping and Fitting Workshop
The Purdue Dairy Club held its first Clipping and Fitting Workshop at the Purdue Dairy Farm on February 21, 2009. The workshop was put in place for club members to learn from a world-renown fitter the ins and outs of clipping and fitting. Bruce Gingerich from Middlebury, Indiana, lead the demonstration, and it was a huge success.