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A project nearly two years in the making is now complete! We recently opened the new Dairy Cow Yard at the Northwestern Mutual Family Farm. The creation of this new outdoor space for our dairy cows was a Zoo-wide effort, with grounds, horticulture, forestry, maintenance, electrical, veterinary, and animal care teams all collaborating seamlessly.
The Dairy Cow Yard was created to provide the cows with more outdoor space that’s varied and complex for them. It’s important for dairy cows to have ample rest because of the energy exerted from producing milk. Allowing the cows additional outdoor time helps to ensure that when they’re in the Barn, they are resting.
The dairy cows are getting exceptionally comfortable in their new space and can be seen laying down. This is a good sign of relaxation according to the animal care team.
The best time for guests to see the cows in the outdoor yard is typically around 1 p.m. The Yard is located behind the Backyard Bird Walk exhibit and can also be viewed from across the tracks of the North Shore Bank Safari Train station.
