Some farmers raise animals. This farmer is a dairy farmer, which means he raises cows so they can make milk. Dairy farmers have to feed the cows, give them water, and keep them healthy.

Dairy cows have black and white spots. A cow can weigh between 1,100 and 1,500 pounds! Each cow has a different pattern of spots, just like we have our own fingerprint. To make milk, a cow must drink 16 gallons of water a day. The farmer makes sure each cow drinks enough water.

Dairy farmers have to get up early. They have a lot of cows they need to milk. Farmers usually have machines to help them milk the cows. These machines do not hurt the cows. Cows can produce about 8 gallons of milk a day.

Milk from the cows is used to make lots of food that we like. We use milk to make ice cream, cheese, and even yogurt. Dairy farmers do a lot of hard work so we can enjoy milk everyday.

Read Milk: From Cow to Carton by Aliki