Milk Basics

Objectives Learn the Basics of Milk Production

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)

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)

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