How do calves get food from their mothers?

While birds eat then regurgitate the food to feed their babies, most mammals have mammary glands (breasts) to produce milk and have teats (nipple-like structures) where babies suckle. Every female cow has at least, on average, 4 teats. You can see the teats hanging below the udder when a cow is standing up. Unlike some other mammals, most animals that produce milk are standing as their baby or babies nurse.

When a cow is not nursing a calf, farmers use milking machines to gather the unused milk from the mammary glands. This milk is processed so humans can enjoy the milk they buy in stores.