Byrne Dairy Brings Ag Education to the Zoo

Pictured unveiling the new Byrnsie display are, left to right, Friends of the Zoo President Janet Agostini with Byrne Dairy executives CEO Fred Sadeghi , CFO Paul Hatty, Sales and Marketing Director Kate Byrne, CTO Nick Marsella, General Counsel Jim Gosier , Zoo Director Ted Fox, and Byrne Dairy Attorney Ryan Elliott.

Byrne Dairy has partnered with the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo to sponsor “The Real Milking Cow” exhibit. 

The specially built Holstein cow is designed to educate zoo-goers on the art of milking a cow. Byrne Dairy has decided to name the exhibit “Byrnsie” after the beloved cow that is prominently featured on many of the company’s products.

Byrnsie recently was installed in front of the zoo’s Contact Barn where she has become a major attraction among zoo visitors who enjoy petting and milking her. 

Byrnsie comes equipped with an internal pump system, which ensures a constant flow of water to her udder so zoo-goers can learn how to extract milk from a cow using nothing but their hands.

Kids try out 'milking' Byrnsie

“Byrnsie represents a sizeable sponsorship on the part of Byrne Dairy, and she is a wonderful addition to our Contact Barn, where zoo visitors learn about farm animals up close,” said Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo President Janet Agostini. “The folks at Byrne Dairy responded immediately when we asked them to partner with us on this new exhibit.”

“Many of the children who come to the zoo have never even seen a cow, much less experienced milking one,” said Zoo Director Ted Fox. “This is a great educational tool that teaches kids where their milk comes from in an interactive way. We are grateful to Byrne Dairy for partnering with us and sponsoring Byrnsie.”

Byrnsie is part of a five-year partnership between the Friends of the Zoo and Byrne Dairy, which will include a series of educational events hosted by Byrne Dairy at the exhibit. 

The first event will celebrate National Dairy Month on Saturday, June 24. 

Byrne Dairy representatives will be on hand to offer free samples of ice cream and quiz the public on dairy trivia from noon to 2 p.m. Future “Dairy Day” events will celebrate other significant yet often overlooked dairy holidays.

Byrne Dairy CEO Fred Sadeghi said the company views Byrnsie as well as the Dairy Day events as a fun way to educate the public about the importance of dairy farming and food manufacturing in modern society.

“We want to offer zoo-goers an educational perspective about life on the farm, current dairy farming practices, and how the milk that comes from a cow eventually makes its way into a lot of delicious and nutritious dairy products,” Sadeghi said.

“Fewer Americans than ever are engaged in farming and agriculture, yet many remain interested in where their food comes from,” he added. “Byrne Dairy views this exhibit as a fantastic opportunity to connect the dots for many zoo-goers and provide them with a deeper appreciation of the purpose and role of dairy cows in the U.S.”