Wee Kin Farms Meet Millie

Dairy Farming is a wonderful job that positively affects and helps feed consumers in the world. Farming has a lot of hardships that come along with the job, but there are also a lot of great things that happen on a farm! One of the best things that happen on a dairy farm is a newborn heifer calf. Heifer means that the calf is a girl and will be able to produce milk in two years after she has her own calf.

Wee Kin Farm, a Guernsey farm owned and operated by the McKenna family (my family), has welcomed a new addition to our herd. Baby Millie is a strong and beautiful girl!
(Millie is pictured below)

Since Millie was born she needs milk to keep her growing strong and healthy. Calves are kept on an all milk diet for the first couple of weeks that they are born. The reason for this is because their stomachs are very small and not able to digest foods as well. Once their ruminant stomach is strong the calves are given grain and hay to add to their milk and water diet. A ruminant stomach is a stomach that is broken into four compartments known as the reticulum, rumen, omasum, and abomasum. These four compartments help with digestion, and makes it possible for cows to eat a high starch diet. The grain and hay help to keep them growing fast! 

Millie has a lot of energy from the food she loves to eat, and enjoys playing in the tall lush grass and running around with the other calve on the farm. She loves meeting new people, and giving them sweet calf kisses! 

Watch Millie grow throughout her life! I will be posting updates often as she grows! If you would ever like to meet Millie or any of the other Guernseys at Wee Kin Farm please contact me via email @jtm286@cornell.edu.