4‑H Pollinators: Ants
Start your journey through 4-H Pollinators by learning about ants and the role they play in pollination and how they work as a community.
Beef Cattle Nutrition
Cows give a lot to humans. Learn what goes into taking care of them.
About the Activities
We depend on cows for a huge amount of the food we eat, including beef and milk. They may seem so commonplace that you don’t even wonder about them anymore, but they actually are fascinating animals – and you probably don’t know some very basic things about them. Like, what do cows eat? How do they digest food? How many stomachs do they have? And what, exactly, are they chewing when they are ‘chewing their cud?’
In this series of at-home activities, kids will get an up-close look at how cows work (they grow fungi in their stomachs?!), and what it takes for farmers to take care of them. By the end of each activity, kids will have newfound knowledge as well as a fun craft to take their bovine knowledge to the next level.
Brought to you by University of Tennessee Extension
Grades: 3-8
Topic: Animal Science, Biology
Make a Moo-del of a Cow’s Stomach
Cows are one of a few so-called ruminant animals, which means that they have a stomach with four different parts that helps them digest their grass-based diet. In this activity, kids will make a working model of the rumen, one of those four specialized stomach compartments – and that turns grass and hay into energy.
Grades: 3-8
Topic: Animal Science, Biology
Estimated Time: 30 min
Helpful Stomach Bugs?
When we think of stomach ‘bugs,’ we think of being sick. But not all bacteria are bad, and cows have bacteria in their stomach that help them digest food. In this activity, you will learn about different types of bacteria (and other types of microorganisms) in a cow’s stomach that help transform its food into fuel.
Grades: 3-8
Topic: Animal Science, Biology
Estimated Time: 30 min
Let’s Build a Hay Barn
Cows prefer to graze on grass, but that gets more difficult during winter. Hay barns store dried grass for cows to eat in the winter, and building a sturdy, proper hay barn is an art of its own. In this activity, kids will build their own hay barn to help protect your cattle’s food source from weather and pests year-round.
Grades: 3-8
Topic: Animal Science, Biology
Estimated Time: 30 min
Related Activities
If you enjoyed these activities, you can find more STEM activities on 4-H at Home.
Shop 4-H Curriculum and Products
Shop 4-H offers university-backed STEM curriculum, educational kits, products and supplies to help you continue exploring animal science and more!
Click on the tiles below to learn more and add items to your cart.
From Airedales to Zebras
Grades: 3-5
Introduces youth to the normal animal, basic anatomy and systems, elementary principles of disease and careers with animals.
$5.75
Veterinary Science Set of 4
Grades: 3-12
The full set of Veterinary Science curriculum includes beginner through advanced levels and the accompanying helper's guide.
$19.50
Animal Behavior Digital Download
Grades: 9-12
Designed to be facilitated in small groups, activities cover animal care concepts and issues in biomedical research and food safety.
$7.50
Horse Program Set of 2
Two of our most popular and time-tested guides that include scientific and practical horse information. Set includes one copy each of Horse Science and Horses and Horsemanship.
$10.50
All About Dogs
Grades 3-8
Learn how dogs think and the meaning behind their body language, how to keep dogs happy and healthy and the roles they play in our lives.
$8.95
Dairy Goat Set of 4
Grades: 3-12
The full set of Dairy Goat curriculum includes beginner through advanced levels and the accompanying helper's guide.
$19.50
View the full collection of Animal and Agricultural Science curriculum on Shop 4-H.
Brought to you by:
No endorsement of these supporters' products or services is granted or implied by 4‑H. This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, AFRI - Education and Workforce Development project 2021-67037-33376.
Take Our Survey