About Our Cows

 

Our Cows “Every cow in our barn is a lady, we treat her as such”. 

vivian Cow comfort is the number one priority at Arethusa Farm.  The sign that greets you upon entering Arethusa Farm says, “Every cow in this barn is a lady, please treat her as such.”  That sums up the appreciation we have for our dairy cows.  They are treated as ladies from birth to retirement by fifteen dedicated farm employees. Our ladies receive the best possible care and in return, produce an amazing product—Milk like it used to taste. TM

Currently there are 375 head (cattle) of all ages at Arethusa Farm, which are bred to be high-quality dairy cattle and never raised for veal.  No artificial growth hormones are used.  Our well-ventilated barns provide a clean, dry environment.  There is an employee on duty in the cow barn 24 hours per day. 

 

Arethusa Farm cattle are managed in three stages:
Calves – At birth, calves receive their own spotless pen bedded with fluffy, dry straw.  They are fed milk twice daily for three months.  As they grow, grain, hay and water are offered to meet their nutritional needs. 
jersey calf
 Heifers – ‘Heifer’ refers to a female dairy animal that has not yet given birth to her own calf.  During this stage, she lives in a group with other heifers of similar age and size.  Their diet consists primarily of long-stem, grass hay and a combination of grains.  During this stage, cattle are given access to pasture for grazing and exercise.  Heifers are artificially bred at 15-18 months and will be pregnant for about nine months (similar to humans).
Heifers on pasture
   

 

Cows – Upon calving, cows produce milk and are housed in the milking barn, which has 70 stalls and 12 pens.  In the barn, each cow stands on a rubber mattress covered with chopped straw and wood shavings.  Cows are on pasture every day, weather permitting.  Milking takes place twice a day. A combination of grain and protein is fed by a computer-automated feeder four times per day.  Each cow receives her own diet specifically formulated for her milk production and body condition.  Grass hay and water are available at all times.

 Jerseys in Barn
Holstein & Jersey

 

Two breeds of purebred dairy cattle live at Arethusa Farm—Holsteins and Jerseys.  Holsteins are black and white larger cows that you often see in advertising.  They reach a weight of 1,500-2,000 lbs at maturity and are capable of producing up to 160 lbs of milk per day – this equals 320 8 oz. glasses of milk!  Jerseys are smaller brown cows that weigh 1,000 lbs and are known for producing milk rich in protein, which contributes to the unique flavor of Arethusa Farm Dairy milk.

Show Ring Winners!

 

World famous – There are two World Champion cows and several All-American winners in this barn!  The major emphasis of our breeding program is improving the conformation of the cow.  We market our cattle and breeding program by competing in dairy shows at a national & international level.  Cows travel to competitions in New York, Massachusetts (Big E), Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Kentucky & Ontario during the year.
Veronica Champion

More Cow Facts:

  • Cows that are lactating, or giving milk, eat over 100 lbs of feed per day
  • Cows drink over 30 gallons of water per day—equal to a full bath tub
  • Cows are ruminants – meaning they are ‘cud-chewing mammals.’ You will see them chewing their cud at least 12 hours a day.
  • Cows at Arethusa Farm are called ‘purebred’ because they are 100% bred from registered progeny in the Holstein and Jersey Association herd books.  All cows have an official name and pedigree (family tree), similar to purebred dogs or horses.
  • Bred through artificial insemination.  This allows us to purchase semen from bulls housed at studs throughout North America.  These bulls pass rigorous health testing prior to entering the stud. Our goal is for each cow to be an improvement on her mother, so matings are made individually based on the traits that we would like to improve.