WEST ALLIS, Wis. — As temperatures soar before the state of the Wisconsin State Fair on Thursday, exhibitors are working hard to ensure their livestock remain cool and comfortable.

What You Need To Know

  • As temperatures soar, exhibitors work hard to ensure their livestock remain cool and comfortable

  • For young exhibitors like Kaylee Raymond, a 15-year-old from New Richmond, the intense heat had added a new layer of complexity to the annual competition

  • Josie Bailey, an 18-year-old from Tomah, is also a fourth-year exhibitor. Growing up on a fifth-generation dairy farm, she understands the importance of livestock care

  • Bailey’s family farm, Bailey’s Cherry Valley, was established by her great grandparents in 1936.  They started with 75 cows and now the farm has grown to a herd of hundreds

For young exhibitors like Kaylee Raymond, a 15-year-old from New Richmond, the intense heat had added a new layer of complexity to the annual competition. 

“This is one of the first years where it’s been this hot,” said Raymond. “It’s a little change for us, but we’re doing pretty good at it, keeping them cool.”

This is her fourth year doing this, and this year has forced her to adapt.

“We put up a lot of fans and we hydrate them every hour or so,” said Raymond. “We make sure all of them get watered and they get hay too, so they are constantly ruminating, eating, and drinking.”

Josie Bailey, an 18-year-old from Tomah, is also a fourth-year exhibitor. Growing up on a fifth-generation dairy farm, she understands the importance of livestock care.

“We’re trying to keep our animals cool with the fans along with having watering in front of them at all times and keeping a close eye on them,” said Bailey. “This way, our animals are cool and comfortable to the best of our abilities.”

Bailey’s family farm, Bailey’s Cherry Valley, was established by her great grandparents in 1936. They started with 75 cows and now the farm has grown to a herd of hundreds.

“We milk 400 cows, so it’s not always feasible to have them registered, so we’ve been buying cattle just to make sure me and my siblings have the opportunity to go to these shows such as World Dairy Show and the Wisconsin State Fair,” said Bailey. 

Bailey and her family supply milk to Prairie Farms and Mindoro Cheese Plant, known for its blue cheese. Her family farm’s milk also goes to Luana, Iowa, for cheddar production.

Although the temperatures soar above normal, Bailey isn’t too worried about it.

“I’m not really worried about it. Our animals don’t seem to be too stressed. Stress in the heat is usually a lot on the, but right now, they’re looking pretty good, just looking for little things to make sure they’re doing well.”

As the fair kicks off, thousands of animals will fill the barns and show rings. For many exhibitors, like Raymond and Bailey, they have implemented a variety of cooling measures, including fans, water and consistent feeding.

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