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Wisconsin classrooms adopt Pulaski cows

By Lea Kopke
Staff Writer


PULASKI – This year, 1,640 Wisconsin classrooms adopted a new class pet: dairy cows.

During the 2020-21 school year, students in the Adopt a Cow program watched as their calves grew into cows while learning about the dairy industry from local farmers.

Through the program, which was launched this year in Wisconsin by Discover Dairy and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Pulaski farmer Heather Jauquet provided virtual updates on three of her calves – Seroogy, Dorito and Sharlamagne – to about 550 Wisconsin classrooms.

Jauquet, who co-owns Synergy Dairy LLC, said there is growing interest from consumers in where their food comes from.

She said the average American is about four generations removed from the farm, which leaves them to turn to Google for answers.

“The downfall to (this trend) is without those people having a direct connection to a farmer, they can get online and fall victim to a lot of misinformation that’s out there,” she said.

In a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Secretary-designee Randy Romanski said June Dairy month is a good time to recognize the contribution of Wisconsin dairy to the state’s heritage, economy and future.

“As we think about the future of our dairy industry, it’s essential that we engage the next generation,” Romanski said.

Jauquet said she believes Adopt a Cow is a great step in making that connection.

“I don’t remember having any of this type of programming (when I was in school),” she said. “But I think the need for it is growing as that divide between urban and rural life really expands.”

As a part of Adopt a Cow, throughout the school year she sent out three updates to students about the calves’ growth, diet and lives, culminating in a virtual tour of the farm in April.

After the tour, Jauquet spent two hours answering student questions.

“At the end of the day, a lot of their concerns were, ‘Is she healthy? Is she happy? Is she well-fed? Is she warm in the winter?’” she said. “It’s a cool connection when you realize those values that they’re searching for are the same things that are important to us.”

Debbie Burmeister and Kassandra Beno, fourth-grade teachers at Tullar Elementary School in Neenah, had their classrooms adopt cows from Synergy Dairy.

Beno said her class was excited about its calf, Dorito, from the first day.

She said they discussed cow updates over morning discussion or snack time, learning about the dairy industry through Discover Dairy lessons along the way.
Beyond the Adopt a Cow updates, Burmeister said many of her students asked their parents to follow the Synergy Dairy Facebook page, where additional information was posted.

“We had also reached out to the farm at one point because we saw Mrs. Burmeister got updates on their cow, and we got jealous,” Beno said. “It was perfect because they sent information out about our cow moving to a different barn, how she’d gotten bigger and they attached a photo.”

On June 7, students had the opportunity to meet the cows in person at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Manitowoc, where they also had free admission to the interactive exhibits.

Burmeister said she, along with students from both classes attended.

“I want to meet the cow, I want to give her a squeeze,” Burmeister said. “If this was during a non-COVID time, I think this would’ve been absolutely amazing to tour as a field trip.”

Burmeister and Beno said all three of the Tullar Elementary School’s fourth-grade classes will participate in the Adopt A Cow program next year.

They said the program taught their classes valuable information about dairy farming.

“They have a total appreciation for how much time and energy a dairy farmer has to put in,” Burmeister said. “They really saw how cared for these cows are… They really just appreciate what a farmer goes through and what cows give us in return.”

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