Dairy cattle are fed a balanced diet daily consisting of approximately 40 pounds of feed mixed into a ration consisting of such things as corn, wheat, oats, maize, cotton seed, soybeans, and about 50 pounds of hay or silage a day. They are also given supplements of vitamins and minerals to balance out their diet. Cows spend an average of 6 to 8 hours a day eating. They drink an amazing 36 to 50 gallons of water a day. Part of the nutrients from the feed are used to maintain their bodies and part are picked up by the blood stream and carried to the udder where milk is made and stored.

Many dairy cows live in free stall barns where they are kept comfortable. These barns are equipped with fans and water misters to keep them cool in the summer and windbreaks to protect them from the cold in winter.