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.