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!  

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. 

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. 

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!