In the early 1600s…
Immigrants brought the first cattle from
Europe to supply their families with dairy
products and meat.

In rural America…
Milk and milk products were made primarily for
home or local use. However, with the movement of population
from the farms to the cities at the turn of the century,
it became necessary to mass-produce and improve the quality
of milk.

In addition to education…
Regulations were necessary to ensure a safe food supply. With the passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1890 and amendment of 1906, Congress authorized USDA inspectors to enforce standards of sanitation and hygiene in the meat and dairy industries.

Significant Inventions…
•Commercial Milk Bottles
• Milking Machines
• Automatic Bottling Equipment
• Pasteurization Equipment
• Refrigerated Milk Tanks
All of these have contributed toward making milk a healthy and commercially viable product.

Today,
Dairy farming uses the latest scientific research to provide consumers with a safe product while also boosting efficiency, improving the care of animals and protecting the environment and natural resources.

 

Common Misconceptions PDF

Myth: Dairy cows are kept in cramped, dirty quarters without access to the outdoors.
Fact: Cow comfort is very important to dairy farmers. Ensuring that clean, dry bedding is available to cows at all times, in addition to providing healthy living conditions, are top priorities to dairy farmers.

Myth: Milk contains antibiotics.
Fact: All milk is carefully tested for antibiotics. Any milk that tests positive is disposed of immediately, and does not enter into the food supply.

Myth: The reason milk prices are going up at the grocery store is so that dairy farmers can get rich.
Fact: On average, dairy farmers receive 30 cents of every retail dollar. Today’s recent price increases for dairy, and all foods, beverages and other goods, are tied to dramatic increases in energy, transportation, feed and other supply costs.

Myth: Dairy cows are treated like nothing more than milk machines.
Fact: Dairy cows must be healthy and well cared for in order to produce pure, wholesome milk.

 

Fun Facts PDF

• In an average day, a dairy cow will eat about 90 pounds of feed, drink a bathtub full of water and produce 5 to 6 gallons of milk. That’s about 80 glasses of milk!
• Cows spend up to 8 hours of their day eating.
• A dairy cow can’t give milk until she has had a calf.
• How much MILK does it take?

	–1 pound of butter—39 cups of milk
	–8 oz. of yogurt—1 cup of milk
	–½ gallon of ice cream—11 cups of milk

 

Hay PDF

• Hay is an important part of all dairy farms. From cow feed rations to bedding, dairy farmers utilize hay on a daily basis.
• Quality is the most important factor.
• Testing for protein, relative feed value and moisture, among other things, determines the use on the dairy.
• Dairy farmers work with nutritionists to place the highest quality of hay in the right place on the dairy.

	–High Quality—used for milking cow feed rations
	–Medium Quality—used for heifer development and dry cows
	–Low Quality—used for bedding

• Hay types used on dairy farms include: silage, green chop, alfalfa, coastal and straw.

 

Dairy Breeds PDF

Holstein
• Originated in Europe and was brought to the U.S. by Dutch settlers.
• Known for the highest milk production of all dairy breeds.
• The Holstein is the dominant dairy breed in the U.S.

Ayrshire
• Originated in Scotland.
• Aryshires are known for vigor and efficiency of milk production.

Brown Swiss
• Originated in the Alp Mountains.
• Brown Swiss cows are known for being hearty and rugged, having superior feet and legs.
• This breed is very quiet and docile.

Guernsey
• Originated in Isle of Guernsey in the English Channel, 30 miles off the coast of France.
• Guernsey cows are known to be hearty and adaptable and for the yellow color of their milk.

Jersey
• Originated from the island of Jersey, 15 miles off the coast of France.
• Jerseys produce more butterfat in their milk than other dairy breeds.

Milking Shorthorn
• Originated in England.
• Milking Shorthorns are known to be very versatile.

 

How A Cow Makes Milk PDF

Cows have a unique digestive system. Milk cows are ruminants having a large stomach with four separate compartments.  This gives cows a decided advantage in digesting and utilizing parts of plants which are normally useless.  Substances such as cellulose found in grass and hay and other waste products such as cottonseed hulls and beet pulp can be utilized by the dairy cow to make two highly nutritious products - milk and meat.
It only takes a cow about 2 days to process her food into milk.

• Cows swallow food, only partially chewing it.
• The food first enters the biggest stomach compartment, the rumen. Here the food is mixed with bacteria to break it down into smaller pieces. This process is called fermentation.
• Next, it moves on to the next compartment, the reticulum. Here the nutrients from the food are absorbed into the bloodstream.
• The cow now burps up a small amount of food (cud) to chew again.
• After chewing her cud, she swallows again and her cud goes into the third and fourth stomach compartments, the omasum and abomasum. Here additional digestion occurs and more nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream.
• Finally, the feed enters the intestines for more digestion and absorption in the blood stream, and excretion as waste.
• Nutrients absorbed into the bloodstream are carried to the udder where the cow’s body will put the nutrients together in another form to make milk. About 500 gallons of blood need to pass through the udder to produce one gallon of milk.

 

Production PDF

The United States has over 9 million milk cows and produces approximately 171 billion pounds of milk annually.

Top States	(Milk Cows)	(Production in  pounds)
1. California	1.8 million	40.7 billion
2. Wisconsin	1.3 million	24.1 billion
3. New York	627,000	12.1 billion
4. Idaho	513,000	11.6 billion
5. Pennsylvania	550,000	10.1 billion
8. Texas	349,000	7.4 billion

                         
   

Top Counties	(Annual Milk Production in pounds)
1. Erath	1.2 billion
2. Deaf Smith	580 million
3. Parmer	570 million
4. Hopkins	545 million
5. Castro	490 million

 

From Farm To FridgePDF

1. Feeding
Dairy farmers feed and care for their cows. It is important to keep the cows healthy and happy so they may live long and productive lives.

2. Milking
Farmers milk their cows twice a day, by machine. Often times the farmer rises early in the morning to do the first milking.

3. Cooling
The cow’s milk is stored in the bulk tank where it is kept cool and fresh.

4. Hauling
Milk is transported from the farm to the dairy processing plant by refrigerated trucks.

5. Testing
Is your milk safe and clean? You can be sure that it is. Milk is tested again and again to ensure it is safe for humans.

6. Processing
The milk is tested and packaged at the milk processing plant. Many different dairy products are made from milk.

7. Grocery Store
From the milk processing plant, milk and other dairy products are moved to grocery stores where you may purchase them.

8. Refrigerator
Keep your dairy foods cold in your refrigerator at home!

9. Consumer
Now that you know where dairy products come from, you can enjoy them even more! Remember to eat at least three servings of dairy foods every day!

 

Environmental Issues PDF

Water Conservation
• Dairy farmers use water responsibly in their milking parlors, manure management and storage. For example, wastewater is recycled to flush feed alleys and irrigate fields.
• When manure is used as a soil treatment, the water-holding capacity of soil is increased by 20 percent, resulting in reduced groundwater needed to grow crops.

Air Quality
• Dairy farmers protect air quality by following proper manure storage practices and maintaining clean facilities.
• University researchers and industry manufacturers continually work with dairy farmers to identify new ways to control odor.

Farm Management Practices
• Dairies work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), state departments of agriculture and local governments to ensure our nation’s natural resources are protected.
• As part of the regulation process, dairies are regularly inspected by state and federal employees to ensure clean water and minimize environmental impacts in years to come.

Sustainability
• Methane digesters convert manure into methane-rich biogas, a renewable fuel that generates electricity. Farms can generate enough electricity to run their operations and can sell the excess energy back to local utility companies.
• Dairy producers spend millions of their own dollars each year, in partnerships with land grant universities, to identify new strategies to protect the natural resources of dairies across the country.

 

What’s In Your Milk? PDF

• Bovine somatotropin, also referred to as bST or bGH, is a naturally occurring protein hormone in cows. A trace amount of this hormone is present in all milk, including organic products, and is digested just like other proteins.
• The FDA, as well as the American Medical Association, American Cancer Society, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Surgeon General’s Office and the World Health Organization has studied and confirmed the safety of milk from cows supplemented with rbST.
• Preliminary studies suggest that conjugated linolenic acid or CLA, a healthful fatty acid naturally found in milk, may play an important role in preventing many serious cancers, including breast cancer.

 

Bringing Kids Back to Milk PDF

• Dairy foods are by far the most significant source of calcium in the U.S. food supply, and they provide nutrients in a package kids enjoy and schools can afford. Research shows that adequate dairy food intake in children can play an important role in helping to reduce the risks of several chronic diseases that may plague them as teenagers and adults, including obesity, osteoporosis and hypertension.
• School milk programs help kids get the three servings from the milk group each day, which is recommended by the new MyPyramid for Kids and American Academy of Pediatrics to help build stronger bones and healthy bodies.
• Children drink more milk when it’s flavored because it’s fun and tastes good.
• Dairy foods together are a good or excellent source of nine essential nutrients and provides three of the five “nutrients of concern” children do not get enough of...Calcium, Potassium and Magnesium.
• Making 3-A-Day of Dairy a part of your family’s daily routine is as easy as a stir of milk or a sprinkle of cheese here and there.

 

Key Vitamins PDF

Milk contains 9 essential nutrients. In each glass you get these nutrients and many other benefits.

Calcium	30%	Helps build strong bones and teeth; reduces the risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis; plays a role in promoting normal blood pressure.
Protein	16%	Helps build and maintain lean muscle; the high quality protein in milk contains all the essential amino acids.
Vitamin A	10%	Supports good vision, healthy skin and maintains integrity of immune system.
Vitamin D	25%	Supports a healthy heart; normal blood pressure; healthy aging; helps regulate the immune system.
Vitamin B-12	13%	Works closely with folate to make red blood cells; helps maintain the central nervous system.
Potassium	11%	Helps regulate the balance of fluids in your body; plays a role in maintaining normal blood pressure.
Riboflavin	20%	Helps convert food into energy; plays a vital role in the development of the nervous system.
Niacin	10%	Helps enzymes function normally in your body.
Phosphorus	20%	Works with calcium and vitamin D to help keep bones strong.

Source: whymilk.com

 

Milk and Healthy Weight PDF

• Milk supplies calcium to keep bones strong, and protein, that along with exercise, can help build lean muscle which are especially important when cutting calories.
• Studies suggest that nutrients in three glasses of lowfat or fat free milk a day help maintain a healthy weight.
• Research indicates that people with higher intakes of milk tend to be leaner and are less likely to gain excess weight compared to those who drink little or no milk.
Source: National Dairy Council

 

Dairy—What Ingredients Are In Your Diet? PDF

Dairy products are essential to strong, healthy bones. Eating three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt is a wise choice for people of all ages. Research shows that most of us eat only half of the recommended three servings of dairy each day.

Butter Ingredients
Butter is made exclusively from milk or cream, or both, with or without common salt, and with or without additional coloring. Butter contains no less than 80% by weight of milkfat. Butter also contains protein, calcium and vitamins A, D and E.

Buttermilk Powder Ingredients
Buttermilk powder is obtained by removing water from liquid buttermilk that was derived from the churning of butter and pasteurized prior to condensing. It is used in dressings and sauces as well as baked goods and other products.

Cheese
Cheese, a concentrated dairy food made from milk, is defined as the fresh or mature product obtained by draining the whey (moisture of original milk) after coagulation of casein, the major milk protein. Cheese can be used in almost every food product.

Cream Ingredients
Cream is prepared from milk by centrifugal separation. Specific homogenization and heat treatments bring about desirable grades of viscosity in cream products. Cream ingredients can be used in numerous foods, from sweet to savory.

Lactose Ingredients
Food-grade lactose is produced from fresh sweet whey by crystallizing an oversaturated solution of whey or permeate and drying it into a powder. The body uses an enzyme called lactase to break down lactose so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.  Sometimes there is not enough lactase to digest the amount of lactose that has been consumed. Common applications are in bakery, confections, snacks, frozen desserts, diabetic products and meat products.
Source: Dairy Management Inc.

 

Milk and Yogurt PDF

Milk:
• There are many different varieties of milk, all of which contain 9 essential nutrients and are a great way to get your 3-A-Day of dairy.

• An 8 oz. serving of:

–Whole Milk- contains about 150 calories and about 8 grams of fat per serving

–2% Reduced Fat Milk- contains about 120 calories and about 5 grams of fat per serving

–1% Lowfat Milk- contains about 100 calories and about 2.5 grams of fat per serving

–Fat-free Milk- contains about 80 calories and 0 grams of fat per serving

• Other Varieties:

–Evaporated Milk

–Evaporated Fat-Free Milk

–Sweetened Condensed Milk

• Flavored Milk…
Like unflavored milks, flavored milks are nutrient dense foods containing a high proportion of nutrients in relation to their energy content. Although chocolate milk is a favorite, other flavors include: strawberry, vanilla, banana, black raspberry, blueberry, root beer, cappuccino and coffee.

Yogurt:
• Yogurt is a mixture of milk and cream fermented by a culture. The culture converts some of the lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid.

• Most people eat yogurt primarily for breakfast, as a snack or dessert, but yogurt can:

–Enhance flavor, nutrition and moisture in muffins

–Improve tenderness by marinating meats or poultry

–Be found in sauces or dips, sandwich fillings or desserts

–Be a low-calorie substitute for sour cream, cream cheese or mayonnaise

• Other Cultured Dairy Goods are Buttermilk and Acidophilus milk.

 

Butter And Ice Cream PDF

Butter:
• Butter is a concentrated source of milkfat (80%) with some water and nonfat milk solids. It is made from milk, cream or both of these ingredients. Both salted and unsalted butter are available. Butter also contains protein, calcium and vitamins A, D and E.
• Varieties include: Traditional Butter, Salted/Unsalted Butter, Whipped, Light Butter, Cultured Butter, Anhydrous Butter, Butteroil and Butter Powder.

Ice Cream:
• Historians estimate that ice cream evolved sometime during the 16th century in Italy, perhaps from a recipe Marco Polo brought from the Orient. With a long history of delighting the taste buds, ice cream also provides a healthy amount of nutrients to your diet.
• Ice cream has a great deal more nutritional value than its dessert counterparts, such as cake, pie or candy. The primary nutrients in ice cream are calcium, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and protein.
• Varieties include: Frozen Custard, French Ice Cream, French Custard Ice Cream Reduced Fat Ice Cream, Lowfat Ice Cream, Fat Free Ice Cream, Sherbet
• In 1984, Ronald Reagan designated July as a time to honor America's favorite dessert.

 

Whey PDF

• Whey is the liquid part of milk that remains after the manufacturing of cheese. Whey can be transformed into a dry product by different techniques.
• The two major categories of whey in the United States are sweet whey and acid whey.

–Sweet whey results from the manufacturing of hard cheeses such as cheddar and mozzarella and has a pH greater than 5.6.

–Acid whey, on the other hand, is produced during cottage cheese and ricotta manufacturing processes and has a higher mineral content and a pH of less than 5.1.

• Today's whey ingredients go into numerous products ranging from dairy foods and nutritional supplements to processed meats.
• They serve as excellent emulsifiers, whipping agents and water-binders, and also aid in gelation, thickening and browning.
• Research shows that consuming at least 20g of whey protein following resistance exercise can result in an increase in muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults.

 

Cheese PDF

• Different ingredients and processes used during the making and aging of cheese result in a wide variety of cheeses, each with its own distinct texture and flavor.
• There are more than 200 varieties of cheese produced in the U.S. and over 1,400 varieties in the world.
• Cheeses are categorized in several ways: natural; processed; unripened; ripened; soft; and hard.
• Did you know...
Consuming certain cheeses—such as aged Cheddar, Swiss, Blue, Monterey Jack, Brie, Gouda and processed American cheese—immediately after meals or as a between-meal snack has been shown to prevent tooth decay!

Name	Origin	Consistency and Texture	Flavor	Basic Ingredients
American	United States	Semi-soft to soft; smooth	Mild	Cheddar, washed Colby or granulated (stirred curd) or mixture of two or more cow’s milks (whole or lowfat)
Cheddar	England	Hard; smooth	Mild to Sharp	Cow’s milk (whole)
Colby	United States	Hard, but softer in texture than Cheddar	Mild to Mellow	Cow’s milk (whole)
Monterey Jack	United States	Semisoft (whole), hard (lowfat or skim); smooth texture with small openings throughout	Mild to Mellow	Cow’s milk (whole, lowfat or skim)
Mozzarella	Italy	Semisoft	Mild, delicate	Cow’s milk (whole or lowfat); may be acidified with vinegar