Milk It Does a Body Good

Milk is produced by glands in the cow’s “udder” As blood passes through these glands, milk is produced

Cows are milked 2 -3 times a day with a milking machine

A “milking parlor” allows 1 person to milk cows at a time

After each cow’s udder is washed and dried the “milking machine” is attached

Yellow leg bands identify each cow to the milker as well as any potential health problems

As soon as each cow’s udder is emptied, the machine is removed

Milk travels through piping to the “bulk tank” It is chilled to just about 40 degrees F as fast as possible and stirred constantly. Milk must NOT freeze

Milk is picked up every 2 -3 days by the refrigerated tanker truck

Before pumping the milk into his truck, the driver collects samples to test for: protein butterfat antibiotics

At the bottling plant, milk is: n Tested for antibiotics n Pasteurized –165 degrees F for 15 seconds then chilled to 40 degrees n Homogenized –Milk and cream no longer separate n Bottled n Shipped to stores