Calves are teaching Maine classrooms about dairy farming

Reeds Brook Middle School is among classrooms across Maine taking part in the Adopt a Cow programme this school year. The initiative is organised by Discover Dairy and uses calves to introduce pupils to dairy farming and local agriculture.

The University of Maine’s J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center expects roughly 25 calves to be born over the coming month. In October, students will select an individual calf to follow. The animals will not be housed in school buildings, but participating classes will receive current photographs and information about changes in their calves’ height, weight and development.

Some local pupils will also meet their adopted calves in person. Lee Hecker, associate director of the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, said the animals change substantially during the programme. They begin by taking their first steps, become close to full-grown cattle by its conclusion and are expected to be ready to produce milk soon afterwards.

Stacy LaBree, a sixth-grade teacher at Reeds Brook, has taken part for five years. Her class combines the updates about the animals with activities including a “cutest cow” competition and a T-shirt design contest.

The programme’s lessons cover dairy production, animal care and the management of land and other resources. LaBree said the school aims to increase pupils’ understanding of dairy farming in Maine and of farmers’ role as stewards of animals, land and resources.

Patricia Henderson, superintendent of J.F. Witter Farm, described Adopt a Cow as a farm-to-classroom-to-table learning experience. She said many people have limited contact with farms and do not know where milk or other food comes from; the programme presents dairy products as beginning with calves on the farm.

Discover Dairy said places remained available for classrooms wishing to register for the school year.