When I started milking for my AVS 347 lab I was terrified. I never worked with cows before and I did not know what to expect. I was scared I was going to get stepped on or kicked in the face. From working on the farm, I have gained a lot of confidence. The cows at the Witter Farm are so calm and easy to work with! It is almost like they know we are students learning how to work with them, so they are calmer. I have such a great experience working them, that I honestly would continue after my lab is over.
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Before I came to UMaine, I had zero cow experience. I had never touched a cow and had only seen them up close at fairs. UMADCOWS has allowed me to get much closer to them and to learn all about care and management of dairy cows. Aside from all that we get to do (milking, vaccinations, calf care), my favorite part is probably getting to know all of the cows and their personalities. Some of them are more calm, some like to flip feed all over themselves, some are always last out the door, and some can be a real handful during milking. I have especially enjoyed getting to know Pterodactyl, the calf that I was assigned to. She's really sweet and loves to nibble on clothes and hair, but if you have to get in her pen to clean it she bounces around like crazy. She loves attention so make sure to come visit her! When I was 8 years old my little sister was born. When I first found out I was getting a sibling I wasn’t very enthused at the time. So, when my mom asked if I wanted to hold her after she was born I was reluctant but agreed. After getting her in my arms she grabbed my finger with her hand and wrapped it around and wouldn’t let go. In that instant I fell in love with her. Now I know what you’re thinking, what does this have to do with the Witter Farm? Well when I first came to the Witter Farm and learned I had to work with the dairy cows I wasn’t looking forward to it. I thought cows were smelly, funny looking and not too bright. But, after being with the Dairy Herd for a little over a week I fell in love with them, they wrapped a metaphorical hoof around my finger. From the way they “hippity-hop” in their stalls, to leaning up against you like trying to give you a hug, their curiosity and with their puppy dog like eyes it’s impossible not to love them. I have worked with many types of animals; dogs, cats, sheep, horses, turkeys, and more and I’ve never met a more lovable and cuddlier group of animals than the Witter farm cows. They are so sweet and when they get playful you can’t help but smile. When my baby calf Raleigh was born she just made me love going to the farm even more. She is a headstrong little girl with a love to try and eat sweatshirt pull ties.
This past semester I joined a club known as the Animal Husbandry Club. This club consists of all the members being paired up with a cow of their choice (depending on availability). We then spent the semester training our assigned cow to get her ready to show in the Orono Royal during the first weekend in May. My friend, Shannon, and I were assigned a calf that was only a few weeks old at the time— her name is CheeseKake. We spent time halter training CheeseKake, teaching her how to walk next to us, and also spent time getting her to stand still for when we set her up for the judge. There were times where training was difficult as she is so young and didn’t know much. We learned that we needed to be patient with her and could only do so much at a time. Even though some days she would only listen for 10 minutes, that was 10 minutes of training we were able to get in that day and that’s all that matters. Soon enough, May 5th was upon us and it was the day of the Orono Royal. I have shown horses for the past 5 years but had never shown a cow before. CheeseKake and I were able to place 3rd in our class out of seven heifers and that meant that we automatically qualified for the championship round. Although we did not place during the championship round, being able to have this experience was rewarding.
Before taking Dairy Cattle Tech here at the University, I had very little experience with cows. This lab has opened me up to awesome new experiences that I never would’ve thought I would have! One of my favorite parts of the course is being assigned a pregnant cow. We have such a big part over the course of their pregnancy. We help treat them if they get sick, help out during their calving, as well as help out with care afterwards. We even get to name the calf! The newest member to the Witter Farm is the daughter of Ponyo, Pterodactyl! Pterodactyl is a loving little calf that gets excited at the sight of her milk bottle. You can find her in Pen 5! She is one of the first of many calves expected during this upcoming semester! Get ready for cuteness overload! ~Shannon *** Attached is an adorable photo of Pterodactyl
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