Moo to You

This collection has been created to support the House of Science kit Moo to You.

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The following resources will be useful for:

• developing teacher knowledge and confidence prior to using the kit
• developing student content vocabulary and background knowledge prior to using the kit
• enhancing and deepen student learning after using the kit
• providing extension activities
• providing opportunities for formative assessment.

This collection is also useful for anyone interested in using dairy products and dairy farming as a context for learning.

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Please note that the articles in this collection are written for teachers.

The big science ideas fostered by the resources in this collection feature learning in:

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Living World

• Pastures are managed ecosystems that often contain a diversity of species.
• Ruminants are mammals with specialised digestive systems.

Planet Earth and Beyond

• Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are cycled through and between living organisms and their physical surroundings , i.e. soil.
• Earth has many interacting systems, changes in one system may have an impact on another, i.e. methane produced by ruminants contributes to climate change.

The Physical World

• Energy is transferred from the Sun to pasture plants to cows and then to humans.

The Material World

• Milk is a mixture of proteins and sugars.
• Milk and milk products are examples of liquids and solids.

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Climate change - a wicked problem

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The dairy sector is a significant part of Aotearoa New Zealand's economy - contributing over $19 billion in 2019.

Nearly half of our greenhouse gases come from agriculture.

The dairy sector recognises that climate change is a global issue and, like any large industry, it has to play its part in reducing emissions. Scientists and farmers are involved in a wide range of research to investigate alternative forages, animal breeding and on-farm management options to reduce methane and nitrous oxide emissions.

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The following resources provide overviews of :

• Hub resources that feature dairy farming basics and Dairy NZ's efforts to mitigate climate change
• pedagogical information, curriculum links and te ao Māori perspectives
• content vocabulary and concepts.

The following resources feature Living World connections and concepts about pasture:

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• pastures are managed ecosystems
• pastures have food webs
• many pastures have diverse plant species
• new plant species are bred to suit environmental conditions and animal needs.

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The following resources feature Living World concepts about ruminants and their special digestive systems:

• ruminants, such as cows, have adaptations that allow them to thrive on a plant-only diet
• each part of a ruminant's digestion system has a part to play in the breakdown of plant material
• feed sources must be good quality to ensure maximum yield of milk/milk solids.

Dairy NZ has an amazing 3D cow. The animation allows users to see inside the cow and view it from different angles. Find out more about cows' amazing digestive system, milk production, heart and liver.

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Dairy NZ's FeedRight resources provide an more in-depth look at ruminant digestion.

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The following resources feature Planet Earth and Beyond concepts about nutrients, nutrient cycling and interacting systems.

• there are different types of nitrogen inputs on a dairy farm
• there are nitrogen outputs and losses on a dairy farm
• farmers need to be aware of the nitrogen cycle to make good management decisions
• Earth systems are connected and complex.

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The following resources feature Physical World concepts about energy transfer and food:

• plants use the Sun's energy and nutrients to grow
• energy from plants is transferred to other organisms like cows and humans when we eat the plants
• some of this energy changes to another form along the way - to heat for example
• energy is neither created nor destroyed. It does not disappear when we use it – it changes from one form of energy to another.

The following resources feature Material World concepts about what makes up milk and milk products as solids and liquids:

• milk is a mixture of carbohydrates, protein and fat
• carbohydrates, protein and fat play an important role in human nutrition
• milk and milk products can be liquids and solids
• cheesemaking is a process that brings the milk solids together and leaves much of the liquid behind.

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Agriculture and climate change

The meat and dairy sectors are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while balancing production.

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Dairy is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, protein and more.

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New Zealand scientists and farmers are working together to develop solutions that work at practical on-farm levels.

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The following resources focus on some of the issues surrounding agriculture and climate change and some of the innovative research helping to reduce our greenhouse gas footprints.