History
Always held on the last Saturday in April, Ag Day (now part of the campus-wide Maryland Day) is one of the best ways for students to gain hands-on experience with a variety of livestock species right here on campus. First held in 1925, Ag Day is one of the College of AGNR's favorite traditions.
Hands-On Experience
The ANSC department's portion of Ag Day is our livestock fitting and showmanship competition, coordinated by UMD's Block and Bridle Club. The club sends out the call for sign-ups early in the spring semester, and participation is strongly encouraged.
Students participating in the livestock show have the opportunity to work with beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, and sheep. There are student and faculty coaches for each species, to help showmen learn the skills they need to successfully prepare and present their selected livestock. Students are taught how to work with their selected species and will gain firsthand experience as they prepare their animals for the show. Participating in Ag Day is an amazing way to introduce large animal experience to your undergraduate career, and have fun in the process!
Showing and Awards
Students are grouped into classes with other participants who have similar levels of experience. Ribbons are awarded for each class, and then the winners of all classes within a species compete to be the champion of that species. At the end of the day, the 4 species champions compete for the title of Grand Champion, in an exciting class where each species champion shows ALL 4 species for the judges!
Students may also be nominated for the The Chad Dulin Clark Memorial Herdsmanship award, awarded each Ag Day to the student who best embodies the following qualities: leadership; willingness to help; positive and inspiring attitude; and going above and beyond what’s asked.
Previous Winners
-
2020 & 2021 had no Livestock Shows due to the COVID pandemic
