The zen of cows

Kayla Hamm beams when she talks about the spots on Layla’s face that form the shape of a heart.

Layla, who shares a birthday with  Kayla — Aug. 9 — comes when she is called and is one of Kayla’s favorite animals.

Layla is not, as one might expect, a dog or a cat.

She is a cow.

“She’s kinda cow crazy,” Mary Hamm said of her nearly 17-year-old daughter.

Kayla showed four cows at the Ozaukee County Fair last week and helps take care of the 300 Holsteins on the family’s dairy farm in the Town of Saukville.

It’s not that she consciously chose this lifestyle; she was born into it. Kayla doesn’t know any different and doesn’t want to.

“I’ve been like this for 17 years now and it’s just how it is,” she said.

Kayla is the second oldest of five children, all of whom are or have been involved in the Holy Cross 4-H Club. Kayla is the club president.

“I don’t force them to do it,” Mary said.

Mary isn’t a stranger to fairs or large families either. She is the youngest of six children and participated in 4-H in Dodge and Ozaukee counties. Her first fair was in 1993. Her husband Randy is the youngest of nine children whose family owns the farm.

When it comes to milking, Kayla usually helps with the last of three daily shifts on weekends during the school year. She works alongside some of the farm’s hired hands, prepping the cows, checking for disease, cleaning the parlor and feeding the calves milk.

It takes five to eight minutes for each cow, she said. The process runs from about 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Cows get fed twice per day. They devour their first meal early in the morning before their owners eat.

“If the animals aren’t happy, you shouldn’t be,” Kayla said.

Getting out of bed and heading to the barn isn’t always easy.

“Sometimes you don’t want to, but it’s all worth it when you come down here and exhibit them,” Kayla said as she stood in the Ozaukee County Fairgrounds show arena last Friday.

Cows are chosen for the fair more than a year ahead of time and Kayla moves them to the pasture at her nearby grandparents’ farm and gives special food.

Training entails walking with the cows at a steady pace while trying to keep their heads up without their backs arching.

“Some are just kind of naturals at it,” Kayla said.

Kayla works with her cows three to four times per week, building them up to an hour each session, but handling the creatures can be difficult.

“It’s challenging because they’re obviously bigger than you,” she said.

Her largest this year is Harley, who tips the scales at around 1,800 pounds. She has more personality than some of the others, Kayla said, Being bigger and more muscular, Harley has to show other cows who’s boss.

Humans face hazards as well, but Kayla hasn’t had anything serious happen.

“You get stepped on once in a while,” she said.

When the cows get to the fair, they’re usually happy. Mary said she remembers one cow was anxious as it was taken off the truck — they can tell by their ears and eyes — and was taken to the washing station. Once watered down, the cow was calm.

“They like that pampering,” Mary said.

Once in their pens, they don’t seem to mind all the inquisitive visitors.

“I think they like the attention,” Kayla said.

Cows aren’t the only animals who appreciate meeting new people. Luke, Kayla’s younger brother, showed a lamb who was especially friendly, always in front of the pen biting people’s fingers in search of more food.

The animals received less attention this year since the public wasn’t allowed at the fair due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

But the preparation leading up to the fair was the same, filling most of the family’s summer. The fair typically serves as their vacation and, while they missed out on their favorite foods of shaved ice and ice cream, their work with animals paid off when it came to judging.

Kayla had three class winners and one earned a third-place ribbon. Harley was supreme champion and Sweet Pea was reserve champion.

“I definitely gave them extra pets,” she said, noting that the best places to pet a cow  are behind the ears, the top of their head and on their tail head.

All three of Luke’s dairy cattle won their class. Of Kayla’s four sheep, Kiara took first and Cora was first reserve grand champion breeding stock. Luke’s sheep finished fourth and fifth.

Balancing schoolwork with animal care — the farm also has chickens, ducks, cats, two horses and a dog — became more challenging when school went online in spring. Kayla would rather be on the farm with her cows than behind a laptop.

The incoming senior at Ozaukee High School hopes to attend the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and major in dairy science. Career paths from there range from herd manager to farmer and sales to nutrition fields.

She and her siblings also entered some of the 4-H arts and crafts events, including photography. The cows were still involved, this time as the subjects of pictures.

“Sometimes they stick their tongue out,” Kayla said.

“They try to lick the camera,” Mary said.

Kayla’s younger sister Mariah, 8, who showed a cow and sheep and arts and crafts through Cloverbuds, a pre-4-H group, may be following in Kayla’s footsteps in her love for animals.

“They’re adorable,” Mariah said.

Through 4-H, Mariah is learning, just as her big sister did, what it takes to show animals at the fair.

“Reponsibility,” Kayla said. “Make sure you’re taking care of your animals before you do anything.”