@DAIRYBUSINESS.COM BY KAYLA JENTZ FARM-RAISED FACEBOOK PHOTO OF THE MONTH June is Dairy Month, as we all know. It’s a time to celebrate what we do, what we love. For many of us, including myself, we’ve received an education from the dairy cow, and for that we should be truly appreciative. I’ll share some life les- sons learned in the barn in honor of June Dairy Month, and in celebration of a way of life. This month’s feature photo: AND TALKING TO THOSE WHO AREN’T Lesson #3: Heartbreak I can remember my very fi rst true heart- break, and it defi nitely wasn’t because of a boy. I ran to my room crying when my parents told me my fi rst show cow, Loverslane Broker Freckles, would be sold in our county sale. She looked promising and at that point we couldn’t afford not to sell her. My heart mended and I found other cows, but I’ll never forget her. Lesson #4: There are bigger things in life Lesson #1: Life I don’t recall the specifi cs of my fi rst trip to might knock you World Dairy Expo, but I can tell you that I was down amazed. And, I thank my parents for taking me As a young girl grow- out of school for the event. Seeing those cows ing up on the farm I had on the colored shavings, wandering through the ■ Kayla Jentz is associate editor, my own mini-broom and maze-like tradeshow, and seeing the passion DairyBusiness shovel set which I used everyone had for one single thing made it all Communications. on a daily basis, think- worthwhile. I realized that I probably wasn’t Contact her via ing I was “contributing” the only kid who grew up in the barn with a e-mail: kjentz@ to getting chores done. dairybusiness.com mini-broom and shovel set. or phone: 608-848- I would sweep up and These are just a few of the lessons I 1420. down the aisles of our learned. There are countless others, and I am so tie-stall barn pushing the lucky to have had those experiences. However, feed up for the cows. One not so appreciative I realize that I am part of a small segment that cow felt the need to head-butt me into the wall grew up on a farm. every now and then. Mom got mad at the cow, Many don’t have that luxury (at least I I cried a few tears, and life went on. I kept on think it is), and we have to deal with those that sweeping ... don’t have the same values or don’t agree with what we do and how we raise our animals. It’s Lesson #2: Compassion hard to think about life having not grown up My parents had a cow that I happily on a dairy farm, but that’s reality for most of adopted and named Cora. Cora was one of the world. those problem cows that gave next to no milk I won’t rant on about how that should be and should’ve probably been culled a few applied to social media, but just keep it in times over. She was nothing pretty to look at, mind. Not everyone has had the privilege to be but none-the-less I would always fi nd an extra raised on the farm. handful of grain for her and give her special Until next time, attention. She was my companion and my par- ents couldn’t bear to ship her because of it. FYI A calf looks out at Meadow-Vista Dairy in Bainbridge, Penn. Send your photos (with caption informa- tion) to kjentz@dairybusiness.com. PRODUCT & INDUSTRY NEWS Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Products introduced Cow’s Match® WarmFront™ calf milk replacer, for- mulated with a unique combination of carbohy- drates correctly balanced for when temperatures moderate. Elanco Animal Health is sponsoring a free mobile app for the dairy industry. Dairy Source offers real- time market prices, industry news, local weather and product information. It can be downloaded free on iPhone and Android devices. Get connected to DairyBusiness: www.facebook.com/DairyBusinessCommunicationsInc www.twitter.com/DairyBusiness 38 June 2012 WESTERNDAIRYBUSINESS www.dairybusiness.com