Teacher's Resources

These documents were written for a more general, less scientific, audience. They are useful for educators, producers, industry reps and policy makers. All documents may be copied for educational purposes.

 All materials are in PDF format. Click here to download the free Adobe Reader, including web browser plug-in.

 

What is Forage? A basic description of forage in the form of pastures, hay and silage.

Forage is Good for the environment. An explanation of the many ways that forage benefits the environment.

Sustainable Nutrient Cycle. All living things need nutrients. This is an explanation of how nutrients are cycled through crops, cows, and people.

What Do Dairy Cows Eat? A description of the customary - and not so customary - feeds that dairy cows eat.

Rumens Make Cows Special. An explanation of a cow's rumen (the first of four chambers in her stomach) and why it allows cows to eat things that humans can't eat.

How Do Cows Make Milk? A diagram showing how cows break down the nutrients in feed and then reassemble them in another form to make milk.

A Peek Inside a Dairy Cow. A diagram of a cow's digestive system and also of the inside of an udder where milk is produced.

Cows are good citizens. Big picture at how cows help society by making good use of land, eating byproducts of the food, fiber and biofuel industries, and more.

How is a cow like an ethanol production plant? A handout explaining how both cows and ethanol plants use fermentation to convert one form of energy into another.

Major greenhouse gases (GHG) produced on dairy farms. A handout explaining which greenhouse gases are produced where on dairy farms.

Microbes keep cows alive. Rumen microbes help cows digest feed. They're also a good source of protein for cows.

10 reasons cows need forage. A handout listing reasons forages are good for milk production, cow health, the soil, and the environment.

Let me tell you a little about dairy farms. This colorful book, narrated by a dairy cow, teaches young people about dairy farms while also describing what’s happening at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center farm near Prairie du Sac, WI.

Welcome to the USDFRC Farm. Four coloring pages that also include information about the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center farm, dairy cows, forages, and the environment.