BATAVIA — Coming together as a dairy bowl team for the second consecutive year, four youth from the O-H-M Jr. Holstein Club (Otsego, Herkimer and Montgomery counties) earned their spot in the National Dairy Bowl contest during the NYS Holstein Convention in Batavia Jan. 20.

It is the first time since 1992 that the O-H-M Jr. Holstein Club has competed nationally in the Jr. Division Dairy Bowl contest (nine to 15-year-old agriculture, cow and milk fans).

Team members include: Kayla (15) and Bryce Windecker (13) from Windex Farm in Frankfort, N.Y.; Ellie Ainslie (14) from Boardwalk Holsteins in West Winfield, N.Y.; Laura Littrell (13) of Amsterdam, N.Y. from her grandparents’ Feagles Family Rock-View Farm in St. Johnsville

Their coach is Art Graves, NE Agronomist for Mycogen Seeds, from Richfield Springs, N.Y. Their parents are Dale and Deb Windecker, Brad and Carol Ainslie, and Matt and Judy Littrell, respectively.

A written test, individual questions and toss-up questions create the dairy bowl competition. Questions assess knowledge of Holstein pedigrees/awards, crops/forages/rations, dairy products and processing, milk quality, reproduction, animal care, environment, and nutrients/trends of milk, cheese and yogurt.