Tepid Dairy Economy, Wet Weather Dampen World Dairy Expo Attendance
A tepid dairy economy and wet weather likely dampened attendance at this year’s World Dairy Expo, which wrapped up its five-day run last Saturday.
Official attendance was 65,136 with 2,379 international guests coming from 94 countries. The total attendance was off 5 to 10%, with crowds usually numbering more than 70,000 in normal years. In 2014, when milk prices peaked, total attendance was 77,000 with some 3,200 international guests.
The total number of cattle on the grounds including sale cattle came to 2,338 head, similar to previous years. A total of 1,779 cattle was exhibited in cattle shows. These cattle came from 37 states and 8 Canadian provinces. Cutting Edge T Delilah, a five-year-old Brown Swiss cow exhibited by Kyle Barton, Copake, N.Y., was named Supreme Champion.
Wet weather in the Midwest also likely dampened local attendance. Farmers in Wisconsin, in particular, are struggling to get corn silage and other crops harvested.
For a full summary of the show, click here.
