Meet
the Milk
Makers!
Click a picture to take a video field trip to a dairy farm
Then take a quiz to learn more
Hickory Gables Farm
Dairy cows need a nutritious diet. What do they call the feed that they give to the cows at Hickory Gables Farm?
That’s right!
TMR stands for Total Mixed Ration. It’s a mix of corn, beans, hay, grain, vitamins, and minerals that gives the cows all the nutrients they need.
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At Hickory Gables Farm, the cows live in freestall barns.
Click the picture that shows how a freestall barn keeps cows comfortable.
Trick question!
A freestall barn keeps cows comfortable all three ways!
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Dairy cows need a soft bed.
Click the picture that shows what the cows sleep on at Hickory Gables Farm.
You got it!
For the cows at Hickory Gables Farm, taking a nap is like laying on the beach.
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The de Jong family milks 2,000 cows every day.
Bas de Jong says that milk gets to the supermarket as soon as _________
You’re dairy smart!
Michigan-made milk is local and in stores within 48 hours.
Look for the state code 26.
Congratulations! You’ve filled the glass with a full cup of delicious milk!
Sparks Cedarlee Farm
Where do the dairy cows spend most of their time on the Sparks Cedarlee Farm?
Correct!
On the Sparks Cedarlee Farm, dairy cows spend their days in a pasture and only come to the barn to be milked.
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Cows don’t produce milk until after they have their first calf.
How old is a cow when she has her first calf?
That’s right!
Dairy cows usually have their first calf when they are 2 years old.
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The milk man uses a tanker truck to take milk from the Sparks Cedarlee Farm to the processing plant.
How often does the milk man come to the farm?
You got it!
The milk man picks up milk at the farm every day, and within 48 hours that milk will be in the supermarket.
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Trick question!
Cheese, yogurt, and butter are all made with milk.
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Messing Dairy
Correct!
Ashley is the herd manager at Messing Dairy. Her father is in charge of growing crops on the farm, and her mother is in charge of the calves.
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Click the picture that shows what the calves sleep on at Messing Dairy.
Right again!
The calves at Messing Dairy have beds of fresh, golden straw.
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How much food do the cows at Messing Dairy eat each day?
You got it!
Ashley says that each cow at Messing Dairy eats about 120 pounds of food every day. That adds up to nearly 22 tons of food per cow every year!
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How does the Messing family use technology on their farm?
Trick question!
The Messing family uses all these types of technology on their dairy farm.
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Dr. Chris & Jenna
Correct!
A heifer is a cow that is still too young to have a calf.
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How does Dr. Chris know that a cow is healthy?
That’s right!
Dr. Chris knows that a cow is healthy when he sees it bright-eyed, eating, and looking happy.
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You got it!
Right again! Cows drink about 50 gallons of water each day — that’s as much water as it takes to fill a bathtub!
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What is the Number 1 goal for dairy farmers, veterinarians, and dairy nutritionists?
Dairy smart!
Dairy farmers, veterinarians, and dairy nutritionists all work to make sure every cow on the farm stays healthy.
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On the Farm
Which place on a dairy farm is the favorite of most of the kids?
You have a good memory!
Three of the kids said that their favorite place is with the calves and two said their favorite place is the milking parlor.
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Most of the kids said that they want to grow up to be dairy farmers. Why?
That’s right!
Most of the kids said they want to grow up to be farmers because they like cows.
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Correct!
One of the boys says that everyone should drink milk because it has lots of protein.
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What are the kids trying to do at the end of the video?
You are correct!
The kids are trying to lick their nose, like a cow, but none of them can do it — can you?