I learned a lot of interesting facts about dairy cattle during my visit to the Cornell Dairy teaching barn. There are several different types of cow: the classic black and white spotted cows are Holsteins, while Jersey cows are smaller and brown. Holstein cows and Jersey cows produce milk which is chemically distinct. I also learned a lot about dairy farming practice.

The cows at the Cornell Dairy teaching barn live in a relatively spacious enclosure. They have sand beds they can lie down in – apparently the cows are somewhat territorial, and they don’t like when another cow sleeps in their bed.  The floors in the barn were grooved, to help the cows get traction so they won’t slip or injure themselves.

I also learned that dairy calves are separated from their mothers soon after birth. According to the vet student leading the tour, dairy cattle are not known to be excellent moms. The calves are moved to individual enclosures outside the barn for several weeks – think a large doghouse with a pen in front – before being sent on to a calf raiser or an auction.

Prior to this trip, I believed that cows were timid animals. The cows at the dairy barn, however, were curious about our presence, sticking their heads through the bars to try to reach us. It was also interesting to observe the cows’ behavior.

I must say that visiting the Dairy Barn made me feel a little…icky. Obviously, I was aware of how milk was produced before, and I didn’t see any mistreatment of the cows – but I cannot say that I am completely comfortable with dairy production.

Having seen baby cows, I can confirm that they are essentially giant puppies. Even if dairy production doesn’t necessarily seem cruel, we’re still treating cows in a way we would never treat dogs, and I’m not comfortable with that. It was especially sad for me thinking about male calves being sold off as beef cattle – the dairy and beef industries are related, so not eating meat doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not supporting meat production if you still consume dairy.

Visiting the Cornell dairy barn also prompted me to think about the wider dairy industry, and to consider whether other dairies follow similar practices and have the same standards for animal welfare. It’s definitely an important issue to consider, given that dairy is in so many products that we consume.