11 April 1947: First Dairy Day at UGA

On this day in 1947, the newly formed Dairy Science Club at UGA hosted the first Dairy Day in the Dairy Building on the University campus. Now in its 63rd year, the Georgia Spring Dairy Show still includes cattle judging for contestants from around the state and region in conjunction with Georgia 4-H and Future Farmers of America.

For the first Dairy Day, there were demonstrations of dairy equipment that showed "the processing of milk from the time it leaves the cow until it becomes cheese, butter, or ice cream;" cattle judging of cows entered by University students, 4-H members, and FFA members; dairy product judging; a demonstration of artificial insemination of cattle; and a co-ed milking contest.

That night, Alpha Gamma Rho, the agriculture fraternity, hosted a barbeque for the 150 cattle judging contestants. Touted as an open house to promote the Georgia dairy industry, more than 40 teams entered contests on the campus, and 600 people came to see the various events and speakers.

Winners for the first Dairy Day included Garner Fields of Statesboro in the milk and ice cream competition, as well as in the cattle competition; and Parrie Rogers of Roopville won the co-ed milking contest. The Eatonton FFA team won first place among the 36 chapters competing, and Clarke County's team won the 4-H team competition. Prizes for various teams and individuals were provided by dairy supply companies from around the country.

This year's competition was held on April 9, 2010 in the UGA Livestock Instructional Arena, and was co-sponsored by Georgia Milk Producers, Inc.

Learn More:

• Athens Banner-Herald. April - August, 1947 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Red & Black Archive on the Digital Library of Georgia website.
• A Field Guide to Cows: How to Identify and Appreciate America's 52 Breeds by John Pukite in the general collection.
• The Complete Cow by Sara Rath in the general collection.
• Storey's Guide to Raising Cattle by Heather Smith Thomas in the general collection.
• Dairy Cows by Kathy Henderson in the children's collection.
• Dairy Products by Jason Cooper in the children's collection.
• History of the College of Agriculture of the University of Georgia by Calvin Clyde Murray in the Heritage collection.
• A Century of Georgia Agriculture, 1850-1950 in the Heritage and general collection.
• It All Began with Daisy by Sonia Jones in the general collection.
• Blossom Comes Home by James Herriot in the children's collection.
• The UGA Dairy Science Club web page.