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For the Juniors: Hand-milking cows

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Old lady hand-milks cow while children watch
For the Juniors: Hand-milking cows

SUBJECTS:  Science

YEARS:  F–2


Discover how people milked cows before milking machines existed.

Do you think you could milk a cow by hand?

Watch this short clip to find out how it's done.

Look at the special features (parts) of cows that store their milk and release it during milking.


Things to think about

  1. 1.Have you ever wondered how we get milk from a cow? What part of a cow stores the milk it makes?
  2. 2.Look for the features (parts) of the cow that we see as Dorothy is milking the cow. Which parts does the milk come out of? What do you notice about these parts? Describe how the cow is milked by hand.
  3. 3.Farmers on large dairy farms use milking machines. Why don't these farmers milk their cows by hand? What does the farmer need to know about cows when milking them by hand?
  4. 4.What is the name of the bag-like body part where a cow's milk is stored? What are the parts that the milk comes out called? Draw a picture of a cow with these parts labelled.


Acknowledgements

Music composed and performed by Robert Kitney.


Date of broadcast: 27 Aug 2001


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2020 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

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