Farm animals visit Meneley Elementary School

A bull calf barely alive for more than 12 hours and a 30-day-old lamb made a winning debut at Meneley Elementary School on Thursday.

First-graders flocked outside to find the fuzzy creatures lounging around the school's front lawn.

"We're studying farm animals," said Meneley teacher Sharon Yurtinus. "These kids don't get to see this stuff."

Local rancher and Carson Valley Agricultural Association District 1 President Clarence Burr brought in the calf from his herd.

"He was born last night, and within an hour the mother licked him off and he got up and went to breakfast, sucking right away," Burr said. "He's a boy, a bull calf, and he doesn't come with a barn or shed, just a fuzzy coat, which right now is reflecting sun, and he's warm as toast."

Burr told students that the calf belonged to the Black Angus breed, which was brought over to the U.S. from Scotland in the early 1900s.

"It's now the leading breed in the country," he said.

Students asked about the numbered tag in the calf's ear, and Burr told them it was a way to keep track of the animal. He also said the calf would be marked with a branding iron.

"We brand the right hip, so no one can steal him," he said. "If they do steal him, they go to jail. This type of identification has been used for hundreds of years in this country."

Tonja Dressler, CVAA secretary, brought in the baby ewe, or female sheep.

"She was born late at night, and it was real cold and snowy," she said. "She was shivering, so we took her inside by the fire."

Burr said when the Valley was settled in the early 1900s, there were 10,000 to 15,000 sheep roaming the area. He said both sheep and cattle grazing in the surrounding mountains during the warm season kept the fire-prone grasses and shrubs low.

"There was little fire danger then because there was no seed," he said.

Students quickly got in line to pet the animals.

"I think they're really cool and cute because they're babies," said 7-year-old Markis Owen.

Markis wanted to name the lamb Darth Vader and the calf Luke Skywalker.

"If I had them, I would feed them hay and grass," he said.

Classmate Brooke Lopez said she actually lives near a ranch, and wants to be a cowgirl when she grows up.

"The animals are cool," she said.

Six-year-old Joseph Jim petted both animals.

"They're soft and fuzzy," he said. "They're all black, too."

Yurtinus thanked Burr and Dressler for the presentation.

"I took a lot for them to bring the animals out here," she said.