Got Milk? Original Power Point Created by Casey Osksa Modified by Georgia Agricultural Educational Curriculum Office June 2002

Milk Most wholesome & complete food Oldest agricultural industry –dates back 7,000 years

Care of Milk Milk is easily contaminated with bacteria –udder is close to ground Cows can carry Brucellosis –causes undulant fever in humans –cows are tested each year Pasteurization: heat to 161 degrees F for 15 seconds –kills bacteria

Dairy Breeds Holstein: most popular breed in U.S. –largest breed –most milk production –lowest butterfat in milk –black & white Jersey: smallest breed, light brown color –least milk –most butterfat –fat on meat is yellow (butterfat)

Holstein (Dairy)

Jersey (Dairy)

Dairy Breeds Guernsey: milk is yellower due to high content of carotene Ayrshire: newest breed, looks like Holstein but red & white –good foragers Brown Swiss: oldest breed, dual purpose breed (meat & milk)

Guernsey (Dairy)

Ayrshire (Dairy)

Brown Swiss (Dairy)

Milking Dairy cows require lots of high quality feed, lots of concentrates & water Dairies milk 2-3 times / day –udder is washed & dried –primed by hand –milking machine pipes milk to a cooling tank –dip teats in iodine to disinfect & close sphincter muscle

Milking Any cows treated with antibiotics, milk is not suited to humans –can cause a whole truck of milk to be dumped out due to contamination Lactation period = 10 months, dry = 2 months Freshen: cows calve and begin to lactate Colostrum: mothers first milk, loaded with antibiotics etc. for the calf –first 3 days milk from a cow can’t be fed to humans (feed to calf)

Milking Calves are usually not allowed to nurse from their mother –bottle fed colostrum, then milk replacer or cows milk