William Howard Taft (27th, 1909-1913) was the last president to own a cow which provided the White House with milk and butter. Pauline Wayne, seen in front of the Executive Office Building next to the White House, was a Holstein cow (a Dutch-bred dairy cow) and was the Taft’s second cow, replacing Mooly Wooly who died suddenly in 1910 after being owned by the Taft’s for about a year and a half. It was reported Mooly Wooly ate too many oats which caused digestive issues, resulting in her untimely death. Nicknamed Miss Wayne, the cow was purchased for the Taft’s by Wisconsin Senator Isaac Stephenson and grazed on the grounds of the White House from 1910-1913. Pauline Wayne gave birth to a young bull on the White House grounds and he was named Big Bill, after Taft himself. She was considered more pet than livestock to the Taft family, residing in the presidents stables next to the Taft’s fleet of cars, and it was reportedly a sad day when the family moved out of the White House and had to ship Pauline to Wisconsin to graze on a farm there. She reportedly lived many years more in Wisconsin in good health.

Image credit: White House Historical Association”

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