My answer is Yes - for the most part! All cows are females and only the females can produce milk. So, the cows that you would see getting milked on any dairy farm are girls! Now, we do have a couple of bulls (males) on our farm and I will definitely get to that in another FAQ!!
FAQ #2 = Do they have to have a baby before they can make milk?
My answer is you bet! A cow cannot produce milk until she's given birth to a calf. It generally takes about 2 years from the time a heifer (young female) is born until she will be having her first calf. After calving (giving birth), her hormones will kick in and voila - let the moo juice flow!!
FAQ #3 = Does it hurt the cows when you milk them?
My answer is not one bit! You will notice that cows on a dairy farm know when it's time to be milked. They are generally ready and waiting! Our girls are eager to come in to the milking parlor because by milking them, we relieve the pressure that builds up in their udders.
My answer is you bet! A cow cannot produce milk until she's given birth to a calf. It generally takes about 2 years from the time a heifer (young female) is born until she will be having her first calf. After calving (giving birth), her hormones will kick in and voila - let the moo juice flow!!
FAQ #3 = Does it hurt the cows when you milk them?
My answer is not one bit! You will notice that cows on a dairy farm know when it's time to be milked. They are generally ready and waiting! Our girls are eager to come in to the milking parlor because by milking them, we relieve the pressure that builds up in their udders.
FAQ #4 = What is the udder?
It's the bag that hangs down under the cow's belly and between her back legs. That is where the milk is stored!
FAQ #5 = Why are some udders so big?
Good question! The truth of the matter is that most of this depends on the age of the cow or her genetics!! It's true - the older cows will tend to hang a little lower! So, the real question is - will the cows with big udders produce more milk? Answer - not necessarily. In fact, the size of the cow's udder has no direct correlation to the amount of milk that she produces.
FAQ #6 = How does a cow make milk?
This is the infamous question that I probably get asked 5-10 times a day when I'm giving farm tours and boy do I wish it was a simple answer! My basic answer is that her body is designed to make milk. She can actually take the food and water that she eats and drinks and then her body will turn that in to milk. This works for a preschooler - that is all they need to know. (Even a "she just does!" would even work here!)
But - the more technical answer is this - Cows have four compartments in their stomach and the food must travel through all four compartments for it to be utilized by the cow properly. Cow's amazing stomachs allow them to eat things that are much different from things that we would eat - such as hay, grass, and corn silage. So, as the food travels through their system, the waste is sent in one direction and comes out of the cow's body as manure and the good nutrients are sent in another direction. They are absorbed into the bloodstream through the small intestine and then carried to the udder. Those nutrients are then turned in to milk in the udder.
FAQ #7 = How much milk does a cow make?
Although we measure milk on the farm in pounds - I still answer this question in gallons so that everyone can relate. So, on our farm today - we are averaging between 8-9 gallons per cow per day. UDDERLY amazing if you ask me!!!
FAQ #8 = Do all of the cows have 4 stems?
Yes - you read it correctly! I actually had to ask for this question to be repeated! Although I've heard them called many things - "milkers," "thingers," "hangy-downers," "pumpers," and even "fingers" - I had never heard them called "stems" before! This is why I LOVE giving farm tours!!!
So, my answer is yes - the cows should have 4 stems teats! Some cows are actually born with an extra one or two but they would be really small and non-functioning. A cow's udder is divided into 4 quarters with a teat on each quarter. So, they actually function independent of each other. In fact, some cows will have what we call a 'blind quarter' which means that one isn't working or making milk. Even if this is the case, she can still produce milk in the other 3 quarters. So, call them what you want, but the most appropriate term is teat!
FAQ #9 = Do brown cows make chocolate milk?
I know, I know... But I felt like I had to make this an FAQ because I'm pretty sure I get asked this question a few times a day while tours are happening. Sometimes in a joking manner and sometimes - dead serious!
My answer is although this would be really cool, NO brown cows don't make chocolate milk! All flavored milk is made at a processing facility with the addition of the flavor to the white milk.
FAQ #10 = Is the tank on the semi refrigerated?
Awesome question! I got this one just this week and was so excited to be asked this! These are the questions that make me feel like we are really getting somewhere - the wheels are turning if you know what I mean!!
So, here's the scoop: Our milk storage tank or bulk tank at the farm is refrigerated. This is the tank that we store the raw milk in until the milk hauler picks it up and takes it to the processing plant. Although the tank is insulated, we keep our bulk tank at 38 deg. The milk hauler comes to our farm every other day and empties our milk from the bulk tank into his stainless tank to haul it to the processing plant. His tank is heavily insulated and will keep the milk really cold while in transit although it is not actually refrigerated.
FAQ #11 = How do the cows keep cool on these hot summer days?
Good question!! Believe it or not, cows really like cold weather and in fact prefer the winter to the summer. Their ideal outside temp is 50 or colder. So, when it is 90 outside and the sun is beating down, we try to do everything we can to keep them cool!
With shelter for shade, large fans and even water sprinklers - we are able to keep the cows cool and comfortable on dog days of summer!
