Full-disclosure: I attended this event primarily because I assumed I would get the opportunity to milk a cow for the first time (Spoiler: I didn’t get to do it). I have lived in large cities or surrounding suburbs my entire life. I hope this is sufficient to convey my disappointment at not having milked my first cow on this expedition to the Cornell dairy barn.

However, I learned a lot about cows and the dairy industry. For instance, I had no idea that most of the cow breeding that happens within diary barns, throughout the US, happens through artificial insemination. I guess I should have seen that coming, seeing has how male calves are castrated at a very young age and raised as beef cattle. I learned about the maintenance that happens within dairy barns to ensure that milk obtained is safe for consumption, as well as other fun-facts about how to care for calves — they are absolutely adorable! (Picture of brown calf attached  for reference.) To top off the trip, I was very amused by the backscratcher (which is the bright yellow brush in another attached picture) for the cows, which is located above their drinking water.

I had a very pleasant experience overall, after the initial disappointment dissipated (haha, just kidding). I probably learned more about cows than I’ll ever need to know in my lifetime. I hope the readers enjoy the pictures as much as I enjoyed staring at these mystical, previously-only-seen-in-textbooks (or their movies), creatures.