Ohhhhhhhh The Cow Suit...

So Dairy Club has gotten off to a great start this year. We've already participated in Fall Roundup, which is where all the clubs set up a booth and the freshman visit each one to see which ones they want to join. I also must say, our cow print display was pretty awesome...

Also, a few members went to the South Farm Showcase, a public event held for an entire Saturday, "showcasing" all of MU's farms and clubs. It was at this event that we premiered our latest investment- the cow suit. It was a hit to say the least. Members took turns being "Ol Betsy" and the kids loved her. She even went over to the Collegiate Horseman's booth and got a picture with a horse. We are very excited to showcase her at our Milk and Cookies Booth Fundraiser this week, as well as a few other activities we have planned this semester.

You may be asking yourself... What will that crazy Dairy Club do next?? Take on Madison, Wisconsin! That's right folks, 8 of Dairy Club's finest will be roadtripping (and yes, sadly, missing classes) to enjoy the highly anticipated WORLD DAIRY EXPO! Of course, I'm one of the 8, and I'm driving. Anybody who knows me is probably taking bets on if we actually get there or not, but I'll have my GPS, we'll be fine. The 8 of us are very excited and counting down the days until the big departure day. I'll have both my camera and camcorder ready, and of course, will post our adventures on the Dairy Queen blog.

It's Raining Calves!!

It's calving season over here at the farm! We have about 150 cows and heifers due to calve in a 3 month period. The season started the beginning of this month and will be over in mid November. We try to calve as much as possible during the fall and spring months because it's the most comfortable temperature for both cow and calf, as well as to eliminate disease and pest risks.

To help us out, the Dairy Production students pair up and do two overnight calf watches. I'm also in the class, so I participated and my partner was my friend Destinee. She was so excited when she found a calf. She fed her bull calf his four quarts of colostrum- which is the first milk from the cow, containing lots of fat and immunoglobulins to jumpstart the calf's immune system. We then got his naval dipped and put him in a pen with lots of dry straw. We house calves individually for the first 2 months of life, so they don't get each other sick.

After a couple days, they are used to drinking their milk replacer out of the bottle holder, and can down a bottle in a matter of minutes. I really enjoy watching them all going to town on their breakfast! (video above)
-We feed our calves a milk replacer, which is like baby formula for the calves. This way, they get a consistent meal with the same components everyday, which stimulates healthy growth. The "formula" is also fortified with antibiotics, to keep them healthy as their immune system strengthens.

Most of the time, I was really busy with these babies and their mamas, but I managed to get some pictures of the kickstart of calving season :)

Destinee feeding her calf

Me trying to be efficient!

Why Is Cheese Yellow Project

Okay, so something I learned this summer on my internship is why cheddar cheese is yellow. I hadn't even really thought about it, and wondered if the average consumer ever thought about it either. So, I started asking my friends, and was surprised to see that it's really not common knowledge. Here are the responses I have so far, and I'll continue to post more funny responses to the question: Why is cheese yellow? Do you know?

Automated Brush is the Cows' New Fave...

On one of my last days on my DFA internship, I visited a dairy that had this automated brush in the barns with the cows. These cows were literally standing in line to stand under the brush. Talk about taking cow comfort to a whole new level!

-It's kind of hard to see, but the brush is spinning and the cow is moving around so it hits her itchy spots. It's pretty neat!

Personal updates: Sadly, I'm finished for now with my DFA internship, but on the bright side, I'm back on the farm! I was happy to see how easily I fell back into the farm routine, and that I still remember how to drive the tractor haha. School starts in a week, which means the Dairy Club madness will begin also. Sooo... my blogs from now on will probably be centered around the farm, dairy club, and class stuff-- but still dairy- related and hopefully enjoyable for y'all to read! Also, I found my camcorder when I was unpacking, so I think video blogs will be in the near future!

The Great Soy Debate

Before I even attempt to address this soy milk vs. cow milk topic that has been requested multiple times, I need to be honest about something - I have a very good friend who drinks soy milk (and is a vegetarian). We've agreed to disagree on our eating habits (me being borderline carnivorous) and she's a good sport when I make fun of her, which is often. So Destinee, here is your Dairy Queen shout out (and disclaimer) before I get goin' on this soy vs cow milk debate: Even though I'm not friends with soy milk, I'm still friends with you. P.S. Still waiting for an answer on my "How do you milk a soybean?" question. 

OK jokes aside. A lot of people have asked me to talk about soy vs cow milk. First of all, I want to mention that soy milk is not milk. It's more of a "soy juice" if you will. Soy beans are soaked, ground up, and strained- the liquid left over is "soy milk."  Like I said, juice. 

Nutrients:

One cup of cow's milk contains:

 8 g of protein

12 g carbohydrates

30% of an adult's daily calcium requirements

50% of daily B12 requirements 

vitamin D & A 

One cup of soy juice contains:

7 g protein

4 g of carbs

"insignificant" B12 and calcium

-- yes, it can be fortified with nutrients (and usually is) but they aren't as readily absorbed as cow milk

Complications:

Also, for the folks who are concerned about hormones in cow milk. If you read my What's In Your Milk post, you'll see there are only natural cow hormones in milk (not artificial hormones) AND those hormone levels are actually lower than the estrogen levels found in soy. True story. 

I also recognize that milk can cause its own complications, but so can soy juice. It's been known to cause hormone imbalances due to the high levels of phytoestrogens. Also, over 80% of the soybeans grown in the US are genetically modified. I personally am cool with GMO's, but it's still something to be aware of.

I researched this topic a lot and most experts say it's pretty difficult to crown one completely superior over the other. Soy has its benefits, especially for the lactose intolerant. So, take this info and make your own conclusions, but of course I'm going to give you mine. 

Stick with what works, and drink real milk. 

Chocolate Milk Better Than Gatorade!

I'm sure a lot of y'all have heard that the LA school districts are doing a trial ban of flavored milk in the school cafeterias, because they find it unhealthy. (Most of my friends and family are already aware that I find that completely ridiculous.) BUT, the University of Texas has recently released the results of a research study regarding chocolate milk and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. 


Jon Ivy of the University of Texas conducted two studies through the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education where participants were put through an intense 3-hour workout. They were given either low-fat chocolate milk, water, or a sports drink immediately after the workout and then again 2 hours after. Then, they were put through a cycling trial to see the results of each drink. 


So who came out on top? Milk- the super food. It has proved itself the perfect health food once again.

Ivy: “Participants performed much better when they received chocolate milk versus receiving a carbohydrate supplement or if they didn’t receive any supplement at all. They were able to finish the time trial much faster. Chocolate milk has a great carbohydrate to protein ratio, and so we thought that would be a food we could use for recovery rather than having to use a lot of the supplements that have been developed for that purpose." 


Another study was done by physiologist Joel Steger, director of human performance at Indiana University for the International Journal of Sport Nutritional and Exercise Metabolism. His study concluded the same results- chocolate milk was the most beneficial post-workout beverage. He referred to it as the "catch-all workout recovery drink. It's water, plus a whole lot more." 


A whole lot more, meaning what? Well, chocolate milk has the perfect carb/protein ratio, perfect for rebuilding tired muscles. The high water content of milk rehydrates the body, the calcium strengthens bones, and the sodium and sugar in the chocolate aid the body is retaining water and regaining energy. 


Keith Ayoob, EdD registered dietitician and associate professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine: "Milk is a sports drink plus. It will supply you with things you need whether or not you're working out."


Jason Kamp, MS who was also involved in the study said "Drinking plain water after exercise replaces sweat losses- and that's it. Chocolate milk provides carbohydrate replenishment to your muscles- something they can metabolize. There's nothing to metabolize in water." 


So, I personally am excited because right when I got worried that chocolate milk might be on it's way out- it makes and awesome comeback. A lot of people are pushing for kids to exercise more in school, which is great. But now they are faced with the decision- should we ban the best beverage for those kids to be drinking once gym class is over? 

HOT HOT HOT

The summer months are here, and with that comes heat-related challenges on the dairy farm.

The ideal temperature for your average Holstein is about 70 degrees. Usually, cows can catch a break from the heat at night and be fine, but the humidity will persist. Therefore, it's the humidity that causes the big problems.

Like people, it requires energy for a cow to deal with being in the heat and humidity. They don't sweat, so they pant (like dogs) to cool off. When a cow is using energy to keep cool, that's energy that isn't being used for milk. When the heat and humidity rise in the summer, producers will quickly see milk production decline. So, it's in the best interest of both cow and farmer to do whatever it takes to "beat the heat."

cows under misters 

At our farm, there are lots of measures taken to keep the cows comfortable, and since my internship, I've seen a variety of methods. Our farm utilizes fans and misters, positioned in the ceiling of barn. Every few minutes, a fine spray of water will mist over the cows, soaking their backs, with the fans on constantly. This has an evaporative cooling effect, which is a quick and efficient way to cool off the cows. It also seems to be the most popular.

The grazing farms I visited have utilized the natural shade from the tree lines out in their pastures. I also saw another grazer who left the entrance to his milking parlor accessible for the cows, so they can walk up there at their leisure and stand under the misters.

Down in Oklahoma, cooling ponds were really popular. Farmers would dig out a pond, usually with a solid base at the bottom, and a gradual slant on the sides. This way, cows could easily walk into a pond and cool off whenever they wanted to. Most of these ponds are refilled regularly so the water doesn't get too dirty and become a hygiene problem for the cows.

The most important factor is obviously water. I've never seen a farm where there wasn't unlimited water available for the cows. Even under perfect weather, cows drink a lot of water- because the milk they are producing is 87% water. Also because of this, their milk production affects how much milk they drink, but the average cow drinks 25-60 gallons a day. During the summer, their water requirement is even higher, especially considering how much is lost in milk production. Most farms have multiple automatic waterers available to the cows at all times.

I'm a cold weather person, so once it hits about 85 you're probably gonna hear me gripe. But I gripe a lot less now that I see that the farm doesn't stop just because it's hot. Farmers and cows work the same, if not more, in this heat and I have a great deal of respect for them because of that. In fact, I think they should be on a Gatorade commercial.

photo: http://raylindairy.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/cows-play-in-sprinklers-wordless-wednesday/

Cook Your Meat, Cook Your Eggs, Cook Your Milk!

I've recently become increasingly aware of the raw milk fad, and have also been asked by a few to give my opinion on the matter. For those not familiar, people are starting to explore the benefits of drinking milk that has not been pasteurized, under the assumption that since it has not been altered by man, it's healthier. However, that's not exactly the case.

Pasteurizing milk is done with two goals in mind: to kill harmful pathogens, and to increase shelf life by slowing down the souring process.

Raw milk patrons claim pasteurization kills the good germs in the milk and destroys some of the nutrients- such as the vitamin C, lactase (enzyme that breaks down lactose), calcium, and phosphorus. There is no scientific evidence to support this whatsoever. Raw milk has not been shown to contain antibacterial chemicals, and research shows there are minimal differences between nutritional content of raw milk and pasteurized milk. Its ultimately the same product- same proteins, same lactose content, etc.

Pasteurization kills the harmful pathogens in milk such as e. coli, salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, and brucella. I read a raw milk supporter's article online, and she said we wouldn't have to worry about getting sick from raw milk so long as it's clean. Well, ok... but let's think about that for a minute. For milk to be "clean" in that sense would mean the milk would be sterile. Is it a realistic expectation for milk to be sterile? Is it even possible? No, it's not. I read an article a doctor wrote on the subject, and he made a really good analogy regarding surgical doctors in the OR. They take every possible precaution regarding sterilization, and there are still cases of infection. For a dairy farm, containing animals that defecate, as well as natural airborne bacteria, to beat that out, is a long shot.

I also checked out the FDA website. From 1998-2005, there were 45 foodborne illness outbreaks associated with raw milk consumption. These 45 outbreaks resulted in 1,007 illnesses, 64 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths. Obviously the number of illnesses could potentially be higher if one were to factor in the number that went unreported.

I also found this, which summarizes the FDA's stance on raw milk:

Raw Milk & Pasteurization: Debunking Milk Myths

While pasteurization has helped provide safe, nutrient-rich milk and cheese for over 120 years, some people continue to believe that pasteurization harms milk and that raw milk is a safe healthier alternative.

Here are some common myths and proven facts about milk and pasteurization:

• Pasteurizing milk DOES NOT cause lactose intolerance and allergic reations. Both raw milk and pasteurized milk can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to milk proteins.
• Raw milk DOES NOT kill dangerous pathogens by itself.
• Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk's nutritional value.
• Pasteurization DOES NOT mean that it is safe to leave milk out of the refrigerator for extended time, particularly after it has been opened.
• Pasteurization DOES kill harmful bacteria.
• Pasteurization DOES save lives.

I can understand that people want to give into the nostalgia of farm-fresh, raw milk. But in this day and age, it's too dangerous. Yes, a lot of kids that grow up on dairy farms drink some of the raw milk straight from their tank. But, a lot don't. Lots of dairy farm moms buy pasteurized milk from the grocery store. Those kids that do drink the raw milk have grown up with those cows, that bacteria, and drinking that milk, so there's a tolerance to the pathogens built up that most city-folk down have in their immune system, so we're comparing apples to oranges on that one.

We cook our meat and eggs to prevent disease, why would we not do the same with milk?

Sources mentioned in this blog:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm079516.htm
http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/zimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use/raw-milk-helpful-or-harmful/
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/default.htm

 

Break Out the Brushes, It's Show Time!

This week, I scooted out west to Kansas in the DFA van, Lucille, as I like to call her, to see how they dairy in The Sunflower State. On the first farm I visited, I was quick to note there were a couple calves with halters on. It wasn't long until it hit me- it's fair season! 


At the farm, fair season is one of the most exciting times of the year. There's something about showing off your livestock that gets a farm kid giddy. I've shown cows for the farm I work for, as well as horses and beef heifers. It really is a good time, and I have a lot of friends who have been passionate about it all their lives. 

Miss Peony

But, back to what I was saying. These calves were in     halters. I get out of the car, and 4 youngsters come out of nowhere, gabbin' about who was going to win the fair this year. They were just chattering away about who was the better showman, who had the prettiest heifer and blah blah blah, all while catching their calves and leading them around. 




This caused me to reflect for a moment on a few things:




First off, these four siblings were getting along, which is a rarity in and of itself. Can you say Kodak moment?! When do you ever see four siblings, together for hours on end, and happy about it?


They were also learning patience. A calf can be incredibly stubborn when it wants to. You want to go forward, therefore she does not. They will lean backward and stretch their necks and just be downright difficult. (I had one just sit down one time).  These kids were learning to be patient with their calves, and not get frustrated when there is no instant gratification. 


Persistance! They had to keep trying to achieve their goals. They learned that sometimes, getting what you want doesn't come easy. It takes hard work to accomplish goals. 


Oh my gosh. The teamwork. It was the neatest thing to watch 4 kids working together and helping each other. Not only were they trying to do their best, but they were helping others to be their best too. 






Work ethic, responsibility, animal care etc. -The father explained to me that at the beginning of the summer, each kid picks a calf, and its their responsibility from then on. They were out feeding and watering their calves, leading them around, keeping them clean, etc. They worked on these chores for hours, and I did not once hear one kid grumble about having to go water his/her calf. 

Me showing BiBi

Maybe you had to be there, I don't know, but those 2 hours I spent at that dairy, talking to the farmer and watching his kids work for what they wanted was one of the coolest experiences I've had so far this summer. They didn't even realize it, but they were getting a hands-on learning experience, acquiring skills that will make them successful in the real world someday.


So I guess the moral of the story here is that not only are farms a place where good, quality food is raised, but also good, quality people.  

Give that baby her bottle!

Every time I give a tour of the dairy farm, and we get to the calf area, the question inevitably pops up from someone- "Why aren't they with their moms?" 

I would always give the same answer- because their moms are working milk producers, and this is like day care for the calves. This answer has always sufficed, and made sense to everyone. But lately, I've been talking with multiple dairy producers a day, and have realized there are numerous reasons it's beneficial to separate dairy calves from their mothers. 

*It's important to note right here, right now- dairy calf does not equal beef calf. Completely different type of bovine, completely different management, completely different goal. Beef producers have just as long of a list for why they keep the calf on the cow as dairy producers have of why they don't. 

With that in mind, here we go:

1. Dairy calves slobber...a lot. I can't tell you how many times I've bottle-fed a calf and it has literally slobbered all over me. When a calf nurses its mother, it slobbers on her too, which puts her at risk for udder infections. Cow gets an udder infection, cow gets sick, milk quality and cow both suffer. 

2. Less stress for mom and baby- studies have been done researching stress levels of cow/calf pairs that have been separated immediately versus pairs that were separated later. The studies concluded there was significantly less stress to both mom and baby when separating immediately. Not only is it doing the cow and calf a favor to prevent them from unnecessary stress, but it's helping the farmer produce. Cows in stress do not milk nearly as much as a relaxed cow will. 

3. Milk Replacer is a good thing! Since calves don't nurse their moms, they are fed a milk replacer, which is like baby formula, but on a larger scale. The calf is fed the same amount of replacer everyday, mixed the same way. This ensures the calf receives a consistent diet, which helps it to grow to its full potential (aka one happy, healthy calf). 


4. Cows can get their calves sick pretty quick. I was just talking to some dairy professionals at Oklahoma State University, and they used to house their calves across the fence from the milking cows. They said the number of calves that got sick once moved there was crazy. So, they moved the calves to an area where there was no contact with the cows, and have seen a complete turnaround in calf and cow health.

5. Milking time would be a mess. When you bring cows in to milk, it's already hard enough to keep them all moving toward the milking barn at the same, let alone add a bunch of calves running around. Cows would be bellowing for their calves, everyone would be scrambled up, and it would be one stressful, chaotic mess for the cows, calves, and milkers. 

Dairy producers genuinely care about the well being and health of their herd. Every single producer I've talked to has discussed with me ways he/she has taken measures to optimize cow comfort. 

"I am responsible for the health and well-being of the cows on my dairy. The cows take care of us when we take care of them. Happy cows equal happy dairymen." -Dairy Producer  

What's in My Milk?

Lately I've gotten a lot of questions involving what is and is not in a jug of milk. People are worried about what is added to the milk, and are considering other options- soy milk, organic milk, nothing at all, etc. Before you read any farther, just know I personally don't care what milk you drink. Your preferences are up to you, and you can buy whatever you darn well please. But before you go to the grocery store, check this out:

WHAT IS IN THAT JUG OF MILK: 
Milk. You got it, folks, it's simple as that. There's really nothing added to it. Milk consists of 87% water, 4% fat (whole), 3% protein, and the other 6% is made up of lactose, calcium, vitamin D, potassium, etc. Sometimes additional vitamin D is added to milk, which is a good thing, because vitamin D helps you absorb more calcium, which milk has a ton of!

WHAT IS NOT IN THAT JUG OF MILK: 
Antibiotic Residue:   I can absolutely, positively 100% guarantee there is not even a trace of antibiotic residue in your milk. I have visited numerous dairy farms, rode with a milk hauler, and worked in a milk testing lab, and I can tell you, when it comes to antibiotic residue- they don't play games. Farmers have the option to buy on-farm antibiotic testing kits, so they can find out for themselves if the cow still has antibiotics in her. Whether the farmer tests for it or not, the milk hauler takes a sample of the milk from each farm he picks up from, and labels the sample accordingly. Then, when he gets to the milk bottling plant, they take a sample of the whole load, and test it for antibiotics. If it comes back negative, the milk is unloaded. If it comes back positive, the milk is dumped down the drain. But it doesn't stop there! The hauler then gets out his individual farm samples, and those samples are tested so the farmer who had the "hot milk" (as it's called) can be notified. The farmer is notified, and his milk will not be picked up again until his milk brings a negative reading on the test.
Hormones:   Most farmers have signed an affidavit with whoever buys their milk promising they will not use hormones on their cows. These affidavits are renewed annually, and the farmers are held to that promise. Funny thing is though, this came about as a result of consumer demand, not a health and safety risk. Studies show milk from cows treated with the hormone (rBST) is the exact same as milk without. There is no significant hormone difference present in the milk, and the FDA has approved the safety of consuming milk from cows treated with rBST. But, consumers wanted it out, so the farmer agreed and it's out!
Pesticides:  There are strict EPA regulations for pesticide use and the FDA monitors milk closely for pesticide residue. Boom. Done.
Bateria:  nope! All milk is sampled for both cold-loving and warm-loving bacteria. There is a strict limit as to what levels of bacteria are and are not allowed in the milk. If a farmer starts to even get close to that level, someone will visit their farm and help them resolve the problem and get their bacteria levels back down. The small amount of bacteria that is accepted in milk is quickly killed off through pasteurization, which brings us to our next myth-
Chemicals:   heck no! It's a common misconception that the pasteurization process uses chemicals to keep the milk from spoiling or something- no! No chemicals at all are used, just heat. Milk gets heated to 191 degrees F for one second, then immediately brought back down to the cold temperature of 32-40 degrees. This is to kill any pathogens that could be in the milk, such as e. coli or salmonella. It's the same concept as cooking a steak.

Bottom line: milk is tested multiple times for just about anything you can think of. It's among the higest regulated and safest foods in the US. So, relax and drink up!

A little about me...so you can judge if I'm worth reading about

My name is pretty self-explanatory-- I'm the Dairy Queen. I'm into anything and everything dairy, particularly the cows and farming. 


I'm about to be a junior of Agribusiness Management at the University of Missouri, with a minor in Animal Sciences. For the past two years I've worked at a dairy farm, and it not only gave me a lot of experience, but it sparked a passion for the dairy industry. Now, I can't see myself being involved in anything else. 


This past year, I founded the MU Dairy Club, to help generate an interest, and am proud to say that after about a year of being a club, we have about 20 very active members. We do a lot of farm tours, dairy plant tours, milk a cow booths, etc. to learn as much as we can. 


Recently, I've started trying to get involved with agricultural education and help close the gap between consumer and producer. So, in this blog I will tell my stories of the farm, and hopefully you can get educated in not only how your milk is produced, but know exactly what kind of things can go on at the farm, both funny and serious. 


So, long story short- if you're interested in dairy farming and production in any way, shape, or form, stay tuned folks, because I have a lot of stories.