Get ready!

Get ready because the Olmsted County Fair will be here before we know it! The AgStar Miracle of Birth Center planning committee has been hard at work making preparations for the Center's opening for the third year during the fair, which is located in the middle of Rochester, Minn. Now with the warm weather, we're really getting excited!

Each year the Birth Center has been open, the planning committee tries to make it even better for the next year. For 2013 we have added a new chicken exhibit. Here's a preview of what it will look like:

So until the fair arrives, check back for more updates about the new exhibit. We'll also be updating you about other details about the Birth Center as the fair approaches.

You can also follow us on Twitter @AgStarMOBC #AgBirthCenter or like AgStar Miracle of Birth Center on Facebook!

Stay tuned!

Friday: A steady flow of visitors

Friday had a steady flow of visitors to the Center.

One popular spots all day were the chicks.

A volunteer at the Miracle of Birth Center holds a chick for visitors to see.

Incubators have been in the Miracle of Birth Center so people can watch as they break out of their eggs.

Visitors watch the eggs in the incubator.

It takes about one to four hours for a chick to break out of its shell. It then stays in the incubator for about 24 hours to dry off before it is taken out.

Visitors pet a chick while a volunteer holds it.

Visitors to the Miracle of Birth Center were also able to take in a calf being born. At noon, a bull calf was born. After people texted in, the most popular vote for the calf was Butch.

The bull (boy) calf, Butch, resting at the Miracle of Birth Center.

Thursday: A surprise at the end

After a big day of births on Wednesday, Thursday was calm and relaxed. Many people came to visit the pigs that had been born the day before.

Myrna Welter holds a piglet for a visitor to pet. 

Although the sheep are not giving birth during the fair because they lamb in the spring, we have lambs at the Birth Center for people to watch.

Lambs at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. 

There is also an educational display showing how wool is used.

Just before closing, the cow decided she would have her calf. It was a girl! From the text messages, the name was decided as Callie. Both the cow and the calf were healthy and went home that night.

Wednesday: Mother Nature made her own schedule

Mother Nature decided to run her own course on Wednesday. It was a busy day for the animals at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. The births started early in the morning at 1 a.m. with a sow who had 14 piglets. During the evening we have someone on staff to watch over the animals and assist the births if necessary.

Piglets shortly after they were born.

The next sow decided to start farrowing (giving birth) at about 7 a.m. This sow delivered 19 piglets.

Piglets drinking from their mother.

While the pig was giving birth, the cow also went into labor at about 8 a.m. With all the morning action, the Miracle of Birth Center staff tried to get the gates to the Center open as soon as they were able. By 10 a.m., the third sow decided it would also give birth to 11 piglets.

More piglets.

At 2 p.m., the calf name was revealed. Through text messages, the most popular name was Daisy. She and her mother were transported home to Gar-Lin Dairy Farms later that evening.

By 3 p.m., the next cow looked like she was next. But it turned out to be a false alarm. She decided not to have her baby yet.

A crowd watches as the veterinarians on staff checked the cow. 

However, the fourth and final sow didn't want to feel left out. At about 4:30 p.m., the last sow gave birth to 13 piglets.

More piglets after they were born earlier that day.

Although we would have liked to space out the births and had them all during the hours we were open, Mother Nature had a different idea.

Throughout the day, visitors were able to visit with Princess Kay of the Milky, Mary Zauhrones, and Goodhue and Olmsted County dairy princesses.

Princess Kay poses for a picture with Miracle of Birth Center visitor, Leah Sheehan.

Princess Kay reads a book to visitors to the Miracle of Birth Center during story time.

The first newborn calf of the fair!

The AgStar Miracle of Birth Center is open and people are coming to visit! We started off the morning with a newborn calf at 6:30. He is a bull (boy) calf whose name is Charlie! Come out to the fair to visit him!

A bull calf, Charlie, was born this morning at 6:30. 

Charlie got his name from people who are a part of the mobile club and texted in their choice. To be a part of this process and receive texts before and after animals give birth, text the word "birth" to 82942.

The afternoon kicked off with the second annual celebrity milking contest. Mayor Ardell Brede started off the competition.

Mayor Ardell Brede milking the artificial cow, Milkshake, in the 2012 celebrity milking contest. 

County Commissioner Ken Brown was the second person in the celebrity milking contest.

County Commissioner Ken Brown takes his turn to milk Milkshake during the 2012 celebrity milking contest.

After the "milk" was measured, Commissioner Brown won the contest! To try Try milking Milkshake for yourself! Come down to the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center in building 43 next to the dairy barn and across from the horse barn. 

The measuring of the "milk."

Jeannette Sheehan, AgStar Miracle of Birth Center planning committee member, stands with County Commissioner and winner of the 2012 celebrity milking contest, Ken Brown.

The two friendly rivals.

Ken Brown with Milkshake.

It's here!

The Olmsted County Fair has started and the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center is open today! Stop by between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. to see the animals. Maybe you'll even be able to catch a birth!

If you come out to the fair around 1:30 p.m., we will be having a special milking contest between Mayor Ardell Brede and County Commissioner Ken Brown. Come cheer on our special guests who will be milking, Milkshake.

Dawn Zollman helps Kia milk the Birth Center's artificial cow,
Milkshake, during the 2011 AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. 

One cow decided to give birth this morning. Although we would have liked for her to wait until we were open today, we can't help Mother Nature! The cow had a bull (boy) calf. He'll be ready for visitors when the Center opens and will be named later today!

Check back often for updates about births and events at the Birth Center! You can also find information on our Facebook page. Search AgStar Miracle of Birth Center or go to www.facebook.com/Miracle.Birth.Center

See you at the fair!

Want to do something fun this summer? Help out the Birth Center!

The AgStar Miracle of Birth Center would not be possible with all of our volunteers! Coming into our second year, we are looking for more people to help us out. It's a fun opportunity to talk to people about agriculture and meet other volunteers all while having fun!

Check out this video from three of our fantastic student volunteers from last year about their experience.

The AgStar Miracle of Birth Center is looking for student and adult volunteers to work in the Center while it is open during the fair. To be a student volunteer, you must have completed ninth grade or higher.  We prefer all volunteers to have a livestock background. If you are interested in completing an application, please email Molly at agstarmiracleofbirth@gmail.com.

Back for the second year

The AgStar Miracle of Birth Center is back for the second year at the Olmsted County Free Fair in Rochester, Minn.

The Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, through Saturday, July 28, in building 43 on the fairgrounds.

Cows will be calving.

Sows will be farrowing.

Chicks will be hatching.

There will also be lambs at the Center.

Check back to this blog for updates before the Birth Center opens. Until then, let us know which animals you are looking forward to seeing the most through out poll on the right side of the page.

Another exciting day of births!

It was another exciting day yesterday at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. We once again had Princess Kay of the Milky Way join us. Along with that, we welcomed eight new piglets and a beautiful bull calf to the Center.

The day was filled with excitement as we listened to Princess Kay of the Milky Way during story time. After that people were able to participate in a scavenger hunt to learn more about agriculture and the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center!  

The rain decided to hit us. Luckily, we had a sow that was ready to farrow so those stuck inside were able to experience the miracle of birth. The sow had eight healthy piglets and they are all doing great! Stop out to to building 43 at the Olmsted County fairgrounds and visit them along with the other three litters of piglets!  

The fun didn't stop there. Shortly after the piglets were born around 5:30 p.m., one of the cows went into labor. Unfortunately, the calf was coming backwards. So we had to assist the cow in giving birth for her safety and the safety of the calf. The bull calf was born around 7 p.m. We am happy to report that mother and baby are doing fantastic!

Today the birth center was crawling with people as well! Everyone loves visiting the new piglets and seeing the chicks, ducks, calves and lambs. At 3:45 p.m. today, the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center welcomed a healthy heifer (girl) calf! The mother did great delivering her and the calf is about ready to start standing!

We still have some chicks left to hatch, a cow to calve and a pig to farrow! So come check out all the baby animals at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center and learn how to milk a cow!  

Let the fun begin!

Yesterday was a very exciting day and busy day! Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Katie Miron, was able to join us for the day she helped kids learn how to milk a cow and read a story about how milk become the cheese on our pizzas. It was great to have her here interacting with the kids and teaching them things about the dairy industry.

Princess Kay assisted a child milking "Milkshake."

The dairy industry was in full swing yesterday. Not only did Princess Kay join us, but one of our cows calved last night. At 9 P.M we welcomed a healthy baby boy to the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. We will be naming him tonight at his feeding at 5 P.M., so if you want to help us name him please be here by 5.

Not only did we have a cow calve, we had chicks and ducks hatching. Our first duck hatched yesterday morning as well. There were many visitors that enjoyed holding chicks, petting calves and lambs, and learning more about agriculture.

So please come on out today to view a sow giving birth, meet Princess Kay of the Milky Way, and take pictures with the baby animals!

Grand opening!

Wow, these last couple of days have been crazy at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center at the Olmsted County fair. Our grand opening occurred yesterday at 12:30 p.m., but one sow could not wait until then. On Monday around 11 a.m. we had our first sow give birth to nine beautiful piglets. If you were not able to be there to see the sow give birth we have footage from the event.

Tuesday was our grand opening; however, before we could get to that event, one of our cows gave birth to a bull calf we named Milky Way. Both mother and calf are doing great. You can come  see Milky Way today and watch him being fed at 5 p.m.

At 12:30 p.m. we had the ribbon cutting ceremony. It was a great event and it was so amazing to see all the people who were there to support the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. Ardell Brede, the Mayor of Rochester, was there and he even participated in a cow milking contest!

After the grand opening, we had another cow ready to give birth. At 1:30 p.m. Miracle Maddie was born. We named her Miracle Maddie because she was born backwards and upside down. Thankfully, we have a very talented veterinarian on staff to assist the cow while giving birth. There was much concern over the calf, but I am happy to report that both Miracle Maddie and her mother are doing well and are back home at Gar-Lin Farm.

This morning at 2 a.m. we had another liter of piglets born. This time there were 15 piglets! They are so adorable. I encourage all of you to come out and visit the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center today and view the piglets. Princess Kay of the Milky Way will also be here for story time and to take pictures with visitors. 

Schedule of events

Tomorrow is the grand opening of the AgStar Miracle of Birth! Come out to the Olmsted County FREE fair Tuesday through Saturday to view live births and have your picture taken with baby animals. As promised here is the schedule of events.

Tuesday July 26th

12:30 P.M. Ribbon Cutting

5 P.M. Calf Feeding (come see a baby calf being fed)

6 P.M. Pictures with baby calf

7 P.M Cow Milking Contest (Sign up due at 6:45 P.M.)

8 P.M. Pictures with Dairy Princess

Wednesday July 27th

1 P.M. Story time with cookies and milk

2 P.M. Pictures with dairy princess

3 P.M. Pictures with baby piglets

4 P.M. Pictures with Princess Kay of the Milky Way

5 P.M. Calf feeding

7 P.M. Pictures with baby chicks

Thursday July 28th

1 P.M. Story time with milk and cookies
2 P.M. Pictures with lamb

3 P.M. Scavenger hunt

4 P.M. Pictures with calf

5 P.M. Calf feeding

6 P.M. Pictures with dairy princess

7 P.M. Pictures with baby piglets

Friday July 29th

12 P.M. Pictures with baby calf

1 P.M. Story time with milk and cookies

2 P.M. Picture with lamb

5 P.M. Calf Feeding

6 P.M. Cow milking contest (sign up due at 5:45)

Saturday July 30th

1 P.M. Story time with cookies and milk

2 P.M. Pictures with baby chicks

3 P.M. Pictures with baby piglets

4 P.M. Pictures with dairy princess

5 P.M Calf feeding

6 P.M. Pictures with lamb

7 P.M. Pictures with baby calf

Throughout the day you can view live births of calves, piglets, and watch chicks hatch! Its all free so come on out and bring the family!

Gar-Lin Dairy: The people behind the cows!

It is less than a week away from the opening of the miracle of birth center and everything is coming together nicely. At the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center we will be having four cows giving birth. The cows are going to be coming from Gar-Lin Dairy and we are going to take this time to get to know them better.

Gar-Lin Dairy Farms started with Gary and Linda Allen in 1975 when they purchased the dairy and 40 cows from Gary’s parents. Over time, the farm expanded both in cow numbers and people to include son, Dean, and daughter, Dana. In 2006, the Allens partnered with another dairy family and over the last few years have expanded the herd to include 1,850 cows and farm 3,100 acres of alfalfa, corn, canning peas and rye grass. Currently, Gar-Lin Dairy’s management team includes Gary and Linda Allen, Dean Allen, Dr. Dana Allen and Carey Tweten.

The management team at Gar-Lin Dairy (from left to right) Carey Tweten, Dr. Dana, Gary, Linda and Dean.

At Gal-Lin Dairy they milk 1,650 cows three times a day. On average each of their cows produce 31,460 pounds of milk a year. That is approximately 3,700 gallons of milk! Every day on the farm they have an average of six cows giving birth. You will be able to see some of Gar-Lin Dairy's cows at the miracle of birth center starting July 26!

We are very thankful to Gar-Lin Dairy for their support of the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center!


The answer to the last blog was: Americans eat about 100 acres of pizza each day! That is a lot of cheese!

Question for the next blog: What is the schedule of events for the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center?

Check back tomorrow to find out what is happening everyday at the Miracle of Birth Center!

The miracle starts here

It is less than 17 days away from the grand opening of the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center. There has been a lot of work put into making this amazing event possible. One of the biggest things needed to make sure this is a success is a nice building. Due to the mass amount of rain we have had this month, getting the building ready has been tricky.

Have no fear though, the building is now painted on both the inside and outside! Also, a new sign has been placed above the opening of the door. Along with the new renovations to the building the gestation stalls have arrived for the pigs. Gestation stalls are used to ensure that both the sow and her piglets get the best care possible and are always safe. We will keep you updated as things progress and give you a complete schedule of events!

Get excited the Olmsted County FREE Fair will be here in no time!

Answer: A chicken's heart beats 275 times a minute!

Question for next time: How many acres of pizza do Americans consume in one day?

The miracle of birth

It is difficult not to smile at a baby animal because they are so cute and innocent. The miracle of birth is an amazing thing to witness. To see an animal come into this world and watch it as it takes its first step is something that one never forgets. Its now July, which means you have less than a month until you will be able to witness piglets and calves being born and chicks hatching. Here are some fun facts about each of the animals you will be able to see!

A mother pig is known as a sow and a father pig is called a boar. It will take a sow three months, three weeks, and three days to have a litter of piglets (baby pigs). In each litter there are approximately eight to 12 piglets. A sow has about two litters of piglets a year. At birth, a piglet weighs about three pounds and will double its weight in about seven days. 

A baby cow is known as a calf. Its mother is known as a cow and the dad is a bull. It takes a cow about 9.5 months for a cow to have a calf. A calf weighs about 85 pounds at birth and can walk in less than an hour after it is born! Once full grown, a cow will weigh about 1,500 pounds, which is equal to 16 fourth graders.

A mother chicken is known as a hen and a father is a rooster. A baby chicken is known as a chick. A hen can start laying eggs when she is just 19 weeks old. It takes about 24 hours for a hen to lay and egg and they can lay up to 265 eggs a year. 

Get excited to experience the miracle and see these cute baby animals in person!

The answer to the last question: it takes up to eight years of college to become a veterinarian. 

Check out the next blog to find out the answer to this question:

How many times does a chickens heart beat in a minute?

The doctor is in!

Animals need doctors, too. They’re called veterinarians.

Meet Dr. Gary Daniels!

Dr. Daniels is the veterinary manager for the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center and will be on site at the fair the five days the Center is open (July 26 – 30). He will be there to properly assist and deliver animals during births.

Dr. Daniels spent 40 years as a practicing veterinarian before retiring July 1, 2010, from the Chosen Valley Veterinary Clinic in Chatfield, Minn. As a large animal veterinarian, Dr. Daniels attended to dairy and beef cows, pigs and horses. About 50 percent of his practice was tending to dairy cows, 40 percent was to beef cows and the rest was helping pigs and horses.

Veterinarians like Dr. Daniels work closely with farmers to keep their animals healthy. Many farms have a scheduled day – usually every week or every other week – when their vet visits the farm for a regular check up.

Dr. Daniels said he worked with many farms over his 40 years in practice. “Some of these farms are now on their third generation of family members running the farm. As a veterinarian, you get very close to the families and the animals,” Dr. Daniels said

At the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center, Dr. Daniels will have help from about 10 other veterinarians from Rochester, Chatfield, Lewiston, Kasson and St. Charles. They will be volunteering to assist with the births and will be available to answer questions.

Stop by the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center during the Olmsted County FREE Fair to meet Dr. Daniels and other veterinarians from the area!

The answer to the last blog post question was about three thousand. Answer found here.

Post a comment with the answer to this question:

How many years of college does it take to become a veterinarian?

You'll find the answer in the next blog post!

Beef: more than just steak!

Dairy farmers aren’t the only ones taking care of cattle. There are beef cattle, too!

While dairy cows provide milk that is made into cheese, yogurt and other delicious dairy products, beef cows are raised primarily for meat. Cattle and beef production represent the largest single segment of American agriculture. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service there are 360,000 beef cows in the state of Minnesota.

Cattle farmers are committed to caring for their animals, giving them proper nutrition and handling them in a respectful way. Many cattle farmers use management practices influenced by the Beef Quality Assurance program, a national program that provides guidelines for proper management techniques of beef cattle production.

Beef is an excellent source of vitamin B12, zinc and protein. It is also one of the best food sources for iron, a mineral lacking especially in the diets of many women and children. It’s also healthy choice since there are 29 cuts of beef that meet government guidelines for lean.

But beef cows provide more than steak. According to the Minnesota Beef Council, a 1,000-pound steer will provide about 430 pounds of edible meat. The rest of the weight is sold as by-products such as leather, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food products and many others.

For more information about beef, visit www.mnbeef.org or www.explorebeef.org.

The answer to the question in the previous blog post is 20 miles per hour.

Here’s the next question:

How many cowhides does it take to supply the National Football League with enough leather to produce footballs for one season?

Comment with your guess. The answer will be given in the next blog post. 

Chickens, ducks, turkeys ... it's all poultry!

June is a very exciting month for many families because it is filled with graduation parties. One my favorite things to have at a grad party is cheesy turkey. Did you know that Minnesota ranks first in the nation for turkey production?

Turkeys are part of what we call poultry, which includes chickens, ducks, turkeys, or geese raised for meat or eggs. Obviously the favorite time of the year to eat turkey is during Thanksgiving. On that day nearly 690 million pounds of turkey is eaten! 

Chickens are also considered poultry because they are raised for both meat and eggs. A broiler is a young chicken raised for meat, and in the United States it is a $45 billion dollar industry. When it comes to chickens laying eggs, the average hen lays about 260 eggs a year. She can start laying eggs when she is just 19 weeks old and as she grows older she will produce larger eggs.

The families who raise poultry are dedicated to caring for their animals to ensure that we are getting the best food possible. It is important to remember that when cooking chicken, if the meat still has the bone in it it should be heated to at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If the meat is boneless, it should be heated to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unfortunately we will not be able to have turkeys at the miracle of birth center but we will have chicks hatching. If you want to see a preview of what you will be able to view live at the AgStar Miracle of Birth Center view the video below!

Minnesota ranks 3rd in the nation for hog production! Check out the next blog to find the answer of this question:

How fast can a wild turkey run?

Pigs are important to Minnesota

Since June is dairy month, a great way to celebrate is by drinking a cold glass of milk with a delicious pork chop. Just like dairy farmers, hog farmers are very dedicated to caring for their animals and providing a nutritious delicious product.

Did you know that pigs are Minnesota's top producing livestock commodity? Pork is an excellent source of protein that is low in fat. Pigs provide us with so many different products, like pork chops, ham, bacon, and many others. Pigs were also used for many years to provide insulin for diabetics.

The AgStar Miracle of Birth Center will provide you a great way to see the live birth of piglets and to be able to talk with real hog farmers. If you want more information on pigs visit www.mnpork.com!


The answer to the last blog post is 81,000 farms. In our next post, we'll have the answer to this question:


Where does Minnesota rank in national pork production?

June is Dairy Month!

June is an exciting time for many people. During this month, the school year ends for many students, we celebrate with fathers on Father's Day and it's also the official start of summer on June 21.

June is also dairy month! It's a time to recognize the dairy farmers in the area. They help produce lots of delicious food like the milk for cereal in the morning or dunking cookies after dinner, the cheese for a burger or on top of broccoli, and the yogurt for mixing with granola during snack time just to name a few examples. (Are you getting hungry yet?) 

Dairy month is also a great time to learn more about dairy farms and the families who own them. Many people in this corner of the state don't have to travel far to find dairy farmers. In southeast Minnesota there are 30,500 milking cows, each of which is cared for by dedicated dairy farmers. The animals are given clean comfortable places to rest, nutritious food and fresh water. The commitment to caring for their animals starts the day each animal is born. The AgStar Miracle of Birth Center will be a great place to see four dairy cows and their calves, and talk to some of the local dairy farmers from the area. 

For now, enjoy your dairy products. Pour yourself a tall glass of milk, eat a slice of cheese with your crackers or enjoy a cold ice cream treat. Happy June Dairy Month!

The answer to the question from the previous post is 155 people. Here is the next question:

How many total farms (not just dairy) are there in Minnesota? 

Comment with your answer along with your favorite dairy product in honor of June Dairy Month!