The National 4-H Dairy Conference and the Northeast regional dairy conference recognize young people for their achievements and provide opportunities for their continued growth. The subject matter part of these conferences includes sessions on using production records. In addition, the conferences provide a good opportunity to explain the importance that records play in the national dairy industry through animal improvement and research. For many 4-H members, the showing of animals at a local, regional, state or national show is important. These shows also provide good opportunities to recognize animals with high production.
Some shows have classes only for animals reaching certain levels of production.
Others have special premiums, rosettes or trophies for animals achieving certain levels of production. Others may give an award to the top producing animal in the show. Some states have different production activities for the dairy goat classes, such as a 1-day official milk production test to obtain recognition for certain levels of production. Regardless of species or method of recognition used, it is important that the young people and the audience at ringside understand what production criteria were used and why production records are a part of the 4-H program. Sometimes the top milk record and the top fat record are recognized.