How the Miracle of Birth Center at the state fair started

Published: Aug 28, 2024 Duration: 00:03:11 Category: News & Politics

Trending searches: state fair mn
WITH OUR FAIR AUDIENCE. >> PEOPLE WERE REALLY LOVING THEIR STORY. >> THEY'RE ADORABLE. >>> IT'S ONE OF THE BUSIEST BUILDINGS AT THE FAIR FOR BOTH ANIMALS AND VISITORS. >> IN THIS WEEK'S FINDING MINNESOTA JOHN LAURITSEN FOUND THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH CENTER. >> I'M A HIGH SCHOOLTEACHER AT FOREST LAKE AREA HIGH SCHOOL. >> Reporter: EVEN THOUGH CLASSES DON'T BEGIN FOR A FEW MORE DAYS, MIKE MURON IS IN TEACHING MODE, MANAGER AND ADVISER AT THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH CENTER. >> WE'VE BEEN GETTING READY FOR THIS FAIR PRETTY MUCH DURING THE PREVIOUS FAIR. >> Reporter: JUST LIKE A FARMER, THEY GO FROM SUN-UP TO SUNDOWN AND THERE'S TONS OF WORK THAT GOES INTO GETTING A BUILDING READY TO BE AN ANIMAL SUPER NURSERY. >> OUR DAY NORMALLY STARTS ABOUT 6:00 A.M. WE NORMALLY GO HOME ABOUT 10:00 P.M. WE HAVE SHEEP LAMBING. WE HAVE SWINE FARROWING. WE'VE GOT EGGS HATCHING. >> Reporter: IT'S BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE 2001. THAT'S WHEN THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH IDEA WAS BORN. IT BEGAN AS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN FFA, THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, AND THE VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. THE ANIMALS AND VOLUNTEERS THEN MOVED TO THEIR CURRENT LOCATION IN 2006. ABOUT 200 CALVES, LAMBS, AND PIGLETS ARE NOW BORN INSIDE THIS BUILDING EACH YEAR. IT'S ESTIMATED THAT HALF OF ALL FAIRGOERS VISIT THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH CENTER, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR EXHIBITS AT THE FAIR AND ONE OF THE MOST EDUCATIONAL. I BET YOU GET ASKED SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS BY KIDS IN PARTICULAR, DON'T YOU? >> GOOD TEACHING MOMENTS. A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHEN THE ANIMALS WERE BORN, THEIR NAMES. >> Reporter: McKAYLA OLSON IS A VOLUNTEER VETERINARIAN WHO WORKS AND SLEEPS HERE. >> IT'S HARD, BUT YOU SET YOUR ALARM, CHECK ON THEM EVERY HOUR. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF US THAT SLEEP HERE AND WE ROTATE THROUGH CHECKING ON THE ANIMALS. THAT'S THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN EXACTLY. >> Reporter: NO SOONER DID THE VOLUNTEERS GET THE BEDDING READY DID THE FIRST RESIDENTS ARRIVE TWO DAYS BEFORE THE FAIR BEGAN, A COUPLE OF TURKEYS FROM NORTHFIELD. THESE ARE PRETTY HANDSOME ANIMALS, AREN'T THEY? >> THEY ARE. AS THEY GET USED TO THEIR SURROUNDINGS, THEY'LL PUFF UP FOR THE STATE FAIR. >> Reporter: WHEN THE BIRTHING AND HATCHING BEGINS, KEEPING THE ANIMALS COOL IS KEY. IT'S ALSO ABOUT TEACHING VISITORS THAT CARING FOR LIVESTOCK IS IMPORTANT YEAR-ROUND. >> WE WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT THE ANSWERS FOR FAIR GUESTS WHEN THEY COME IN SO THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY CAN HAVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT AGRICULTURE IN MINNESOTA, SPECIFICALLY ANIMAL AGRICULTURE. >> Reporter: AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR, JOHN LAURITSEN, WCCO NEWS. WHY. >> THE ANIMALS COME FROM FARMS ACROSS THE STATE AND RETURN HOME WHEN THE FAIR IS OVER. >> THE CHS MIRACLE OF BIRTH CENTER DOESN'T HAVE PREGNANT DAIRY COWS THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF BIRD FLU CONCERNS, BUT YOU CAN STILL SEE BABY CALVES AND DESPITE THE STRICTER RULES, YOU CAN CHECK OUT CATTLE TILL THE COWS COME HOME. THE CATTLE BORN NEXT TO THE COLISEUM IS OPEN MOST NIGHTS UNTIL 8:00, BUT IT CLOSES EARLY TOMORROW AFTERNOON AS THE 4-H SHOW MOVES OU

Share your thoughts