The photo above is the best visual of the layout of the cow barn that I could get. On each side where you cannot see there is just enough room for the cows food and hay bales to get stacked against the wall, just out of reach. The cows come in each morning around 5:30 am to begin the day. The machines are already assembled and food is already out and ready for them so that the milking can begin. After milking they stay in until mid morning so that they are able to have a little rest and relaxation after their very busy night of eating. The cows are then turned out until about 4 pm when they come in again for their second round of milking while they eat their dinner. The grain they get is very simple but gives them the energy they need to continue consuming grass and producing milk. Once everyone starts getting close to finishing their grain they all get a flake of hay in front of them so that they don't get on their knees trying to reach for the bales against the wall or the grain that they have pushed away while trying to eat. All of the cows have names as well as personalities, which makes working with them that much more enjoyable. So far the cow with the best personality is Cluck. She is relatively young and very much a princess, she likes to nap in the sun and takes her sweet time coming into the barn to get milked. A quick fun fact: A cow that chews its cud is a happy cow! That's it for today! My next post will be introducing the cheese house and explaining some of the beginning steps.
