If you are looking for ways to add to the Flat Aggie Reports be sure to check the Flat Aggie
tab above for Math Lessons and the All About pages for additional classroom activities. All
About Dairy and Cow Farmer Math.
By-Design Farms is located in upstate New York. This farm is made up of 200 acres
and has 60 head of dairy cattle. The farm raises registered Holsteins and Brown
Swiss.They also grow their own hay and corn crops. By-Design produces milk that
is mostly sold as fluid milk or made into yogurt.
When a calf is born at By-Design she is immediately fed her mother’s first milk,
calledcolostrum. Calves are born without immunity to germs and can get sick easily,
so it is very important that they receive the antibodies from their mother’s milk.
calledcolostrum. Calves are born without immunity to germs and can get sick easily,
so it is very important that they receive the antibodies from their mother’s milk.
Calves live in a pen that is bedded with straw to keep them safe, warm, and dry.
They are fed about 2 quarts of milk twice a day (total is about 1 gallon). As they grow,
they will have grain, hay, and water available for them to eat whenever they choose.
Calves are born with one functional compartment in their stomach, but as their diet
changes to include hay and grain, all four compartments fully develop allowing them
to eventually chew their cud and break down food so it can be digested.
They are fed about 2 quarts of milk twice a day (total is about 1 gallon). As they grow,
they will have grain, hay, and water available for them to eat whenever they choose.
Calves are born with one functional compartment in their stomach, but as their diet
changes to include hay and grain, all four compartments fully develop allowing them
to eventually chew their cud and break down food so it can be digested.
Fun fact: Cows don’t have teeth on their top jaw, only molars in the back. These
molars are what they use to grind up their food.
molars are what they use to grind up their food.
Between the ages of 2-3 months, calves are weaned from milk and will only drink
water. At that point they will be getting their nutrition from grain, water, and hay.
When they are weaned they also will be put into a larger group of calves of similar
age for them to play and socialize with. They will stay with this new group of friends
in pens until they have their first baby around the age of two years. At this age they
are called heifers. These heifers have all day access to hay, water, and grain.
water. At that point they will be getting their nutrition from grain, water, and hay.
When they are weaned they also will be put into a larger group of calves of similar
age for them to play and socialize with. They will stay with this new group of friends
in pens until they have their first baby around the age of two years. At this age they
are called heifers. These heifers have all day access to hay, water, and grain.
Just like humans, cows are pregnant for 9 months (280 days). After cows have
a baby, they then can start to give milk. At By-Design they put a lot of effort in to
making sure thatthe milk the cows make is of the best quality. They actually have
won awards at By-Designfor making such high quality milk. The farmers make sure
that the cows are healthy by having a balanced diet, making sure their feet are
trimmed and sound, and also that they get the proper veterinary care. The farmers
at By-Design also do a lot of things to make sure the cows are happy. The cows
have mattresses to lay on, good food to eat, fans to stay cool during the summer,
and pastures to graze on during good weather. Happy andhealthy cows make the
best milk!
a baby, they then can start to give milk. At By-Design they put a lot of effort in to
making sure thatthe milk the cows make is of the best quality. They actually have
won awards at By-Designfor making such high quality milk. The farmers make sure
that the cows are healthy by having a balanced diet, making sure their feet are
trimmed and sound, and also that they get the proper veterinary care. The farmers
at By-Design also do a lot of things to make sure the cows are happy. The cows
have mattresses to lay on, good food to eat, fans to stay cool during the summer,
and pastures to graze on during good weather. Happy andhealthy cows make the
best milk!
The cows at By-Design get a variety of food to eat. They get a mixture of haylage
(chopped up grass that ferments), corn silage (chopped up corn that ferments),
and grain that contains the vitamins and minerals to make up a healthy balanced
diet. In the winter they also get dry hay. Cows always have access to water, and
that’s a good thing since each cow drinks about a bathtub full a day.
(chopped up grass that ferments), corn silage (chopped up corn that ferments),
and grain that contains the vitamins and minerals to make up a healthy balanced
diet. In the winter they also get dry hay. Cows always have access to water, and
that’s a good thing since each cow drinks about a bathtub full a day.
At By-Design the cows are milked twice a day right in their stall. As the cow is being
milked, her milk travels through a stainless steel pipe and goes directly into the
milkhouse. In the milkhouse, the milk gets filtered and travels into the bulk tank
where it is cooled to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. The tank also has a spinning paddle
that helps keep the milkmixed so the cream doesn’t rise to the top. After morning
milking, a big truck comes and picks up the milk. The truck then will take the milk
to a plant.
milked, her milk travels through a stainless steel pipe and goes directly into the
milkhouse. In the milkhouse, the milk gets filtered and travels into the bulk tank
where it is cooled to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. The tank also has a spinning paddle
that helps keep the milkmixed so the cream doesn’t rise to the top. After morning
milking, a big truck comes and picks up the milk. The truck then will take the milk
to a plant.
At the milk plant many things happen before milk is either bottled as fluid milk or
made into yogurt or another dairy product. The milk is tested for many things to
make sure it is ready for you to consume. One of the most important tests is to
make sure that it is free of antibiotics. If any milk has antibiotics it must be thrown
away; no exceptions. At the plant milk is pasteurized to kill any bacteria, and
homogenized to break up the fatglobules so that the cream doesn’t rise to the top.
Even with all of these tests, the timeit takes to go from a farm to you is very short.
made into yogurt or another dairy product. The milk is tested for many things to
make sure it is ready for you to consume. One of the most important tests is to
make sure that it is free of antibiotics. If any milk has antibiotics it must be thrown
away; no exceptions. At the plant milk is pasteurized to kill any bacteria, and
homogenized to break up the fatglobules so that the cream doesn’t rise to the top.
Even with all of these tests, the timeit takes to go from a farm to you is very short.
fairs. In addition to producing milk, By-Design also sells sweet corn at their farm
stand during the summer months. The community enjoys knowing that their sweet
corn is grown locally and is always fresh.
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