Despite the disapproval of his father, Ben, a young cow named Otis loves to have fun at his farm's wild late-night hoe-downs. When Ben dies defending the barnyard from marauding coyotes, Otis is chosen as the farms new leader. For Otis, responsibility sits uneasily on his head and he fears he may not be able to protect his friends from the coyotes.

The quiet, skilled cook Otis "Cookie" Figowitz has traveled west into Oregon with a group of aggressive fur trappers. While living in the territory, Cookie finds develops a frienship with the Chinese immigrant King-Lu, who's also come to Oregon to seek his fortune. Soon the two collaborate on a successful business of selling baked goods in their frontier outpost--but Cookie and Lu's business plan is dependent on stealing milk from the first cow imported...