Uconn’s 5 Animals at Horse Barn Hill

By Chynna Davis

The cows on Uconn’s campus play a major role because they are the source of Uconn’s Dairy Bar goods. These cows produce the milk needed to make the delicious freshly-made ice-cream and butter that the Uconn Dairy Bar sells. “The cow’s are fed silage, I believe it’s corn silage,” said Heather Jordan, a student worker at Uconn’s barn who specializes in the horse area. The definition of ‘silage’ can be found here.

Photo by Chynna DavisCows

There are around 40 pigs living at the University’s barn. They are “primarily used for research to find ways to eliminate the shortage of organs used in transplant operations for humans.” The actual barn where the pigs are in are not allowed visitors, so you have to view them from a grid wired fence. You can still get the full bodied aroma at this view though.

Photo by Chynna DavisPigs

Sheep, or ewe, are another one of the exclusive animals that live on the barn. “The sheep are used for teaching, research and extension. Many of the lambs (mostly the males) are sold. The females are kept to replace the older ewes, which are then sold. The wool is sold through the wool co-op. We don’t market any ourselves. So we sell wool and we sell live animals (they may eventually go for meat, but we don’t market the meat),” according to Dr. Steve Zinn, Professor of Animal Science. Sometimes they’re even friendly enough to pet!

Photo by Chynna DavisEwe

The poultry at Uconn’s barn is another important animal condusive to Uconn’s Dairy Bar, which sells the chicken eggs from the barn. The poultry area is not open to the public.

Poultry Photo by Chynna Davis

The horses on the premises are the pride and joy of the barn, hence the name “Hosre Barn Hill”. One of the main reasons being that former world champion, UC Ringmaster, is retired here in his mid-thirties. “The horses diet consists of grain and hay mostly,” said Heather Jordan, who is an avid rider of her own horse who resides on the barn. Looks like the champion UC Ringmaster prefers nuts and bolts for breakfast.

Photo by Chynna Davis Horses

Works Cited

-http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/silage

-http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2010/06/horsepower/

-http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fleeburdettewilliams.net%2Fdatabases%2Flbw%2Fresource_repository%2F2201a1c9-285b-4aa2-bcb7-493e7115d851.pdf&ei=xsBtUMOZGa6H0QGJt4HwDw&usg=AFQjCNH2p4y5N0bkptjG36A_CwfFhtRfvw&cad=rjt

-http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fanimalscience.uconn.edu%2Fvisitors%2Fdocuments%2FAnimalTrailBrochure.pdf&ei=rsJtUICaEMH00gHZ_YGgCg&usg=AFQjCNHHxdFwMxdxoxBoc7z4HNzqpxdOFQ&cad=rjt

-Heather Jordan, Uconn student, heather.jordan@uconn.edu.