Today, Mrs. These-Currell and some of our Cattle Crew were fortunate to be invited to visit to Hemsing Farms as they were sorting.
Students learned that choosing a "keeper" heifer involves looking at specific physical traits, including:
Structure: Hooves, body shape, and overall size.
Coat & Detail: Hair quality and tail positioning. If they are in cycle or not.
Maternal Potential: Udder (bag) quality and the history of the mother cow.
When it was time to move the selected heifers, we herded them down the alley to a new pen. This walk was specifically designed in a circular shape—a choice based on animal behavior, as cattle move more naturally in curves. Mrs. TC will be diving deeper into this "low-stress handling" concept at school!
In the processing barn, we watched the team perform several routine health procedures:
Identification: Attaching ear tags, branding.
Preventative Care: Administering hormone injections and pain medication (if dehorned).
Dehorning: We witnessed the cauterization process and discussed the importance of pain management.
Our farm education continues this coming Monday! We will return to observe the palpation of the selected heifers. This process is vital for checking pelvic structure to ensure the heifers are physically capable of breeding and calving safely.
We are always grateful for the support of our community opening doors and creating new learning opportunities for our students!