Dairy Farm Visit

 

Dairy Farm Tour

With a knit hat, sunglasses, a puffy jacket and rubber boots,

My four-year-old grandson was ready to get back to his roots,

At the NC State dairy farm Museum, we were taking a tour,

Lots of excitement was in the air- and the smell of manure,

We saw the milking parlor and learned about the mixture of feed,

And how milk production was mostly based on the breed,

We watched bottle-fed calves as they bellowed loud “Moos”,

And everyone was required to wear covers over their shoes,

Each Holstein cow produced 9 gallons, milked twice/day,

Then were released to the barn where they mostly would stay,

The barn provided shelter, endless food, and a bedding of sand,

But if they chose to go out, there was plenty of land,

Their large bodies would sway as they walked slowly around,

But the majority of them laid down on the ground,

The digestive system of these animals is complicated and massive,

They eat 100 lbs. of feed every day, and are totally passive,

These cows live a life of luxury and charm,

On this very calculated and productive dairy farm,

We learned a lot of facts about the milk industry,

My grandson was marveled, but not more than me,

The experience brought back to me memories of old:

My father grew up on a dairy farm and he told,

 Of the treacherous cold mornings before going to school,

He was forced to milk cows, and he considered it cruel,

A dairy farm operation runs 24/7- no holidays, no breaks,

The dedication is utterly amazing, for goodness sakes!

Tammy Harvey

01/21/2024