Fans were relieved when the fiberglass cow was returned to her throne using a special crane during a celebration Friday evening at the dairy farm near Yellow Springs.
The cow-raising went off without a hitch — except for the moment a screw was lost.
About 25 people witnessed the event up close, while many others captured the action with their phones as they drove past the dairy along U.S. 68.
Young’s CEO Dan Young said he knew there would be a lot of interest in the cow, but he was truly blown away by the public response after the storm damage.
He encouraged his staff to use their imaginations to keep fans updated.
“They got creative and really silly, he said.”
Young's Marketing Manager Angela Rayner said maintenance workers Bill Whittaker and Chuck Fagan doctored the cow.
Whittaker was able to fabricate replacements or repair all the missing or broken parts. He created a paint to match Jersey’s color.
Together, the three employees worked to share on social media funny photos and updates about the cow’s condition and recovery under the care of “Cow Specialists Bill and Chuck,” who donned face masks and pretended to give the Jersey Girl statue milk through an IV, for example.
"She's taken down every three to five years for routine painting and maintenance," Rayner said.
But the storm marked the first time nature caused the cow to fall.
Its tail, hoof, horn and ear were broken. The ear has not been found.
About 100 fans took photos with the cow statue Thursday before it was to be returned to its rightful place.
Many others made comments about the cow on social media.
A few even came out to the dairy to watch the cow return to its resting spot.
Makayla and Wyatt Anderkin, ages 8 and 7 of Springfield, could not pass up the opportunity to see the cow re-installed and attended Friday’s event along with their mother, Babette.
They had been watching the saga unfold on Facebook — from Jersey’s spa day to the time she met Young’s other cows on a walker.
“It got a massage,” Makayla said.
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