CHARLEMONT — The Hawlemont, Agriculture and You (HAY) program has welcomed a rare breed of cow to their barn, giving students a lesson on biodiversity this school year.

The school welcomed the 6-month-old, yet-to-be-named Kerry heifer last week. She is on loan from Buckland farmer Larry Bruffee.

“These cows are rarer than pandas,” Bruffee explained, showing off the young black heifer in the school barn.

The HAY program gets students learning about agriculture starting in preschool as part of a weekly class with teaching specialist Jennifer Sinistore. In the class, they perform farm chores and care for the animals. The owners cover the costs of food and veterinary bills.

“Students are the primary caretakers,” said Hawlemont Principal Amber Tulloch. “It provides a lot of socialization for the animals.”

According to Bruffee, his herd, clocking in at five, represents the second-largest herd of Kerry cattle in Massachusetts.

“They are extremely rare and there are a few of us working to preserve them,” he said.

The breed originated in Ireland, where it was once the dominant breed of dairy cow until other breeds became more popular in the 1800s, according to the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. It is believed to be one of the oldest breeds in Europe, having been brought to Ireland around 2000 B.C. It is a descendent of the Celtic Shorthorn.

Kerry cows produce special milk with small fat globules that is highly digestible and sought after for cheese making. Bruffee explained it has no milk smell and is extremely smooth, similar to goat’s milk. He said the only Kerry milk available in the state sells for $20 a gallon.

The breed was known in Ireland during the famine as the “poor man’s breed.” They can produce milk by eating only scrubland.

Bruffee said many increasingly important genetic properties for cows are being lost as they are bred more and more for milk. For example, many modern dairy cows have leg issues. If a major disease problem were to arise for Jersey cows, Bruffee said purebred disease-resistant Kerry cows would be the fallback.

“It is good for the kids to learn,” Bruffee said. “You could put a Jersey in here, but with this cow, there is more history to teach.”

The students have not met the heifer yet, as she is getting acclimated to her new home. However, students are invited to meet her and talk with her calmly during recess.

The school will eventually choose a name for the animal. Each class will pick their favorite name and then the entire school will hold a vote on the eight names chosen. Fifth graders chose Midnight and the first grade chose Lexi.

“The students have been asking about the cow every week,” Sinistore said. “They are very excited to have the calf here.”