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/