The Mobile Dairy Classroom and instructor Steve Miller were featured in the Orange County Register on Thursday October 15, highlighting the assembly at Key Elementary School in Anaheim. The assembly teaches students about milk and milk products and how they fit into a healthy diet. Steve Miller is one of six full-time instructors that provide the assembly 10 months per year.

Featured during the presentation at Key Elementary was Jasmine, a 900-pound Jersey heifer. Miller points out the features of the cow’s anatomy and animal science. Miller shared the following cow facts.
A cow:

• produces up to 120 pounds or 12 gallons of milk each day
• is milked twice a day
• has 13 ribs on each side
• eats 35 pounds of hay per day
• has an average body temperature of 101.3 degrees
• produces milk that comes out at 100 degrees

And what about the big green ID tag attached to Jasmine’s ear? “That’s cow bling,” Miller joked.

Michael Saravia, Vice Principal at Key Elementary, said most of their students were either born outside of the country and/or are learning English as a second language. Most have never been to a farm or dairy. “This brings something to our students that they wouldn’t usually have access to,” Saravia said. “It brings lessons they have learned in the classroom to life.”

The Mobile Dairy Classroom will be visiting schools throughout Orange County for the remainder of the school year.

Orange County Register writer: ecarpenter@ocregister.com