Organic Cows

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Maxwell Reister dons muck boots in preparation of the upcoming herding process.

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Muck boots are an essential part of the milking process, mud, urine and cow feces are all eminent dangers in the upcoming activity.

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A lone cow greets us as we make our way to the enclosure that contains the the rest of the herd.

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Enticing the cows to leave the warmth of their enclosure proves the most difficult part of the evening.

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The first half of the herd awaits being moved into the milking facility.

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A group of cows await their turn outside milking facility.

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Each cow must be prepped before milking, the process include iodine and a manual milking before the machines can be attached.

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Each machine automatically senses when milk production has slowed and disengages.

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Maxwell Reister preps a cow at one of the two pens. Each pen holds five cows which can be milked simultaneously.

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The milking facility is made up of two pens, each of which can hold five cows. 

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After milking each group of cows must be herded out of the pens, and a new group led in.

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The milking process ends with a deep cleaning of each stall.

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Hay is replaced in one the barns which houses cows separated from the herd.