The dairy cow birthing center, its 10th year at the New York State Fair, has welcomed more than 20 calves this year as part of a mission to educate the public, organizers said.
“The goal of the birthing center is to be transparent with the community on what dairy farming is like, and to educate them on how we take care of our cows,” said Carie Telgen, a veterinarian with the birthing center.
A calf that was born at the fair sleeps in the birthing center. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)
Some stress can be added for the cows giving birth at the fair, slowing down the process, Telgen said.
“We do encourage our host farms to bring experienced cows to try and ease some of that stress,” she said.
While most cows won’t need assistance, complications can arise, and that’s where veterinarians step in.
“If the baby is positioned backwards, so the back feet are coming first, or if the baby is upside down or a true breach where we only have a tail, at those time we would need to go in and intervene,” Telgen said.
A veterinarian assists a cow giving birth. The calf was positioned with it’s back feed facing out or, breach so the cow couldn’t give birth naturally. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)
Natasha Sutherland, a third-generation dairy farmer from Stein Farms in Leroy, brought six cows to participate in the birthing center this year. One of the ways she says she alleviates stress for cows coming to the birthing center is by choosing cows that have spent their whole lives together.
“I specifically brought pen mates, they almost all are the same age group. I think that people don’t understand how cows bond across their age cohort, not generationally,” Sutherland said. “It is more of a sibling bond.”
Two cows lick and clean a calf that was just born. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)
Preparing the cows to come to the fair takes a lot of testing with the planning process beginning in November, Sutherland said.
“As we get about a month away from the fair, we’ve reconfirmed their pregnancy and they go to the dry cow barn where we do one last set of vaccinations to come to the State Fair, which are required by New York state law,” she said.
Fairgoers watch a cow giving birth in the birthing center at the New York State Fair. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)
Additionally, they bring a veterinarian in to check for certain diseases and make sure the calf is in good placement when they arrive.
Sutherland said for their farm, education is the most important reason for participating in the dairy cow birthing center each year.
Veterinarians check on a newborn calf. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)
“We’re no longer farmers in overalls and pitchforks, right? We are farmers of the future. We are just as ecologically advanced as any company out there,” she said.
Educating the public about the industry is the best way to show that the dairy industry is a viable one for New York state, she said.
“It is actually the economic powerhouse for upstate New York,” Sutherland said.
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