A Connecticut farm put down $170,000 for a very special cow on Monday.
The owners of the Arethusa Farm, in Litchfield, bought Karlie, a Jersey cow, as part of a record-tying priced package at a Syracuse, New York auction.
"It sounds like a lot, but we also are getting a lot," said Matt Senecal, assistant manager at Arethusa.
The farm, which sits on about 350 acres in Litchfield, is owned by the top executives at high-end shoe manufacturer, Manolo Blahnik.
The $170,000 paid for the pregnant cow includes some of her calves as well.
Karlie has won many awards and the farm plans to show her at competitions throughout the United States and Canada. But what makes a cow like Karlie so valuable?
"Components in their udder, the attachments, how much milk they're able to make, their body structure, their rib structure," Senecal said about Karlie's assets. "It's a way to market those genetics and the breeding program we have here at Arethusa."
Karlie's milk will be used to make cheeses, ice cream, milk, butter and sour cream. She will spend the rest of her time as part of the breeding program at Arethusa Farm.
