Thirsty Thursday: Processing Terms Explained

I am back on schedule -- for a little bit.  Its Thirsty Thursday... all about MILK!

From the my dairy to you, milk goes through strict quality controls to ensure freshness, purity and great taste.  Milking equipment delivers milk directly from the cows to a refrigerated holding tank to preserve freshness and safety.  Then, the milk is quickly transported by truck to processing plants for continued freshness and safety.  But what happens there?  Pasteurization -- Homogenization -- Fortified?

What's the difference??  Every wonder what these terms mean?

• What Is Pasteurization?
  This is the process of heating raw milk at a high enough temperature for a sufficient length of time to make milk bacteriologically safe and increase its keeping quality. Most milk sold in the U.S. is pasteurized. All milk intended for direct consumption should be pasteurized - it's a matter of food safety.
• Since its introduction over a century ago, pasteurization has been recognized around the world as an essential tool for ensuring milk and dairy products are safe. 
• The dairy industry, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommend that no one consumer unpastuerized milk.
• Pasteurization is a simple, effective method to kill potentially harmful bacteria.  It does not affect the nutritional value of milk.
• According to health experts, pasteurized milk offers the same health benefits as raw milk, without the risks.
• What Is Ultrapasteurization?
  Milk that is ultrapasteurized has been heated to a higher temperature than pasteurized milk. Ultrapasteurized milk stays fresher longer under refrigeration than pasteurized milk. This process is often used for cream and eggnog.
• How Does UHT or Ultra High Temperature Milk Differ from Ultrapasteurized Milk?
  The major difference is that UHT milk is packaged in sterilized containers. UHT milk can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months. Once opened, it should be refrigerated.
• Why Is Milk Homogenized?
  Homogenization breaks up and disperses milk fat throughout milk, resulting in a smooth, uniform texture. Most whole milk is homogenized to prevent the cream from rising to the top. Homogenization results in a softer curd in the stomach that aids digestion.
• Why Are Some Milks Fortified?
  Because few foods, including milk, naturally contain vitamin D, this vitamin is added to 98% of fluid milk marketed in the U.S. Because vitamin A is removed with the milk fat, this vitamin is added to 2% reduced-fat, 1% lowfat and fatfree milks. If vitamin D and/or A is added to any dairy product, it must be indicated on the label. Nonfat milk solids may be added to some fat-free milks to improve their appearance, flavor and nutritive value. The milk must be labeled Protein Fortified or Fortified with Protein. The addition of nonfat milk solids increases the calories from protein and carbohydrate and adds more calcium. Some milks may be fortified with calcium. If so, this must be indicated on the label.

Allie gets a haircut! Clipping Cows!

Clipping cows:  What does that mean??  A haircut of course! 

There are a few reasons for a cow haircut:

1. Grooming - It's nice to clip a cow in the spring to get her thick winter hair off.
2. Looks - A cow may get clipped for a show or to show her off to visitors.  A clipped cow makes her look more attractive.
3. Both!

Clipping a cow is just like shaving a dog, except with bigger clippers.  It would take forever to clip a cow with pet clippers.  The clipping process is not painful for the cow at all.  To make sure it is a safe process for both the cow and myself, I like to put them in a "clipping chute."  The chute ensures that the cow stays in one spot AND gives me the flexibility to get every angle.  It also gives the cow the flexibility to drink water and eat during the process.

Clipping is not necessarily fun for the "clipper." Hahah.  Usually when I'm finished, I am covered in hair.. in MY hair, in my nose, and down my shirt!  Definately need a shower afterwards.  The worst is when its really hot and humid.  Yikes! 

Here is a video of one of our cows, Allie, and the haircut process! I clipped her in April to get her winter hair off.



Plans this weekend? See Wisconsin's largest dairy - UP CLOSE!

Sunday, June 26th is the Fond du Lac County breakfast on the farm.

Why is this special?  This year it is going to be at the largest dairy in Wisconsin.  At this dairy, they milk 8400 cows that produce 78,000 gallons of milk a day!!
What a great opportunity to see what a modern and the largest dairy in Wisconsin looks like!! I have toured the dairy before but will definately but taking advantage of this great opportunity on Sunday.  You should too. 

I always like watching the cows go around on the "carousel" where they get milked.  They LOVE to ride the moving milking machine and cannot wait to get on.

Date:  6/26/2011

Time:  8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Location:  Rosendale Dairy

Address:  N8997 County Highway M, Pickett, WI, 54964-8925

Directions:  All traffic will enter the parking from the south. Traffic will follow Hwy 23 to Hwy M - North. Ample parking will be available at the farm - rain or shine!

Activities:  See Wisconsin's Largest Dairy Farm - UP CLOSE and PERSONAL! Farm Tours, educational displays, Money Raffle, Kiddie Tractor Pull, Petting Zoo

Additional Information:  More information and a map can be found at www.fdlac.com.

Cost:- Adults - $6 in advance; $7 at the door

           Children - Five and Under FREE

Website:  Rosendale Dairy
Here are a few videos about the dairy.

So what do the labels really mean???

Who likes to go grocery shopping?? (not me)

Well... today we are going to the grocery store.  Let's pick.. you guessed it - "Super" Walmart! (just an example).  How about we get some personal hygiene things first.  You need shampoo.  There you are... staring at the 100's of kinds of shampoo and conditioner.  Dandruff, volume, color, curl, expensive, cheap - how do you choose?  It's the same way buying toothpaste!! Can't there just be a bottle of shampoo that says, "shampoo" and thats it?  Marketing departments for that company truly have to try and differentiate their products so that people will buy.  Some will be bright colored, some will have "tag lines" or "sayings" and some -- this is the one that gets me -- smell good... yummmm.....

Is this you?

Ok, we have the shampoo smelling out of our system.  Next on the list, MILK! :)  The dairy case can sometimes be just as confusing.  There are many labels that appear on milk packages.  How do you know what the labels all mean?  How do you know what to buy?  Be assured that regardless of these different labels, all milk is SAFE and HEALTHY.

Your milk is produced by thousands of dairy farm families across the United States.  These dairy families work hard every day to improve the quality of care for their animals, and in return, they improve the quality of milk available to you and the grocery store.

Let's dig a little deeper into these labels:

HORMONE-FREE:  All milk produced by dairy cows contains trace amount of hormones.  This is NATURAL … a part of their normal biology of lactation and reproduction.

*Bottom line:  All milk contains trace amounts of hormones naturally.

ANTIBIOTIC-FREE:  Dairy producers and processors test all milk every day of the year to ensure that ALL milk in your dairy case is free from antibiotics.  In fact, over 5 million tests are administered annually by the dairy industry to test for antibiotics. 

Dairy cows sometimes get sick and need medical attention in order to get better.  In some cases, an antibiotic is prescribed.  Cows treated with antibiotics are given extra special care and their milk is discarded until they are healthy and their milk is free from antibiotics.

On our dairy, when a cow is treated with antibiotics she is identified as “treated” and her milk is separated from the rest of the cows and dumped down the drain.  Here is an example:  Cow #184 just had a little heifer calf on Friday.  (don’t get woosey… this is kind of gross) Sometimes after a cow gives birth, she does not expel the placenta, or “cleanings” as we call it in the farm world.  This is a situation.  If not dealt with, those “cleanings” will become toxic inside the cow and her life is on the line.  Today, #184 was treated with antibiotics.   She is now labeled as a “treated cow” and her milk will be separated from the rest of the cows and dumped right down the drain.  Her milk will continue to go down the drain until the FDA designated milk withhold time period has passed.  Before she can “go into the tank” her milk will have to be tested to make sure it is free of antibiotic residues.  Let’s say #184’s milk gets mixed in before being tested…….. what happens????? THE WHOLE BULK TANK IS DUMPED DOWN THE DRAIN.  Trust me – this is NOT a good day.  For us, that would be about 10,000# of milk. Yikes.

*Bottom line:  All milk is free from antibiotics.

rbST-FREE:  Bovine somatotropin (bST) is a naturally occurring protein hormone in cows.  The purpose of bST is to coordinate nutrient use by the cow to keep her healthy and support milk production.  The synthetic version of bST, known as rbST, is made using the same technology used to make insulin for diabetics.  Use of rbST by dairy producers helps them to produce enough nutritious wholesome milk to keep milk affordable while conserving natural resources and protecting the environment. Since rbST was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration in the early 1990s, its safety has been affirmed and reaffirmed by the scientific community.  Scientists tell us that bST is species-limited, meaning that it is BIOLOGICALLY INACTIVE in humans.

Dairy producers continue to meet the food and nutritional needs of our growing population by using safe technologies such as this.

More milk, fewer cows, smaller footprint.

·         LESS land is needed to raise feed for the cows

·         LESS water is needed for irrigation because fewer crops are needed

·         FEWER greenhouse gasses are emitted

·         LESS fuel is required for dairy operations and to cultivate, grow and harvest crops

·         LESS manure is generated from cows for the same amount of milk

If you would like more information on this subject, visit: Global Dairy Innovation

 *Bottom line:  Regardless of whether rbST is used on the farm, the levels of bST in milk are the same.  All milk is safe and all milk is healthy.

PASTEURIZED:  Pasteurization is a simple, effective technique to kill bacteria without affecting taste or nutritional value of milk.  All milk intended to direct consumption should be pasteurized – it’s a matter of food safety. 

*Bottom line:  This is done to ensure all milk is safe and healthy for us to drink. 

ORGANIC:  In order for milk to be labeled organic, it must come from farms that meet certain on-farm requirements, including no use of antibiotics to treat sick animals, no supplemental hormones and no use of commercial fertilizers.  While on-farm practices vary between organic and regular milk, they are equally nutritious and wholesome.

*Bottom line:  The ADA has declared that conventionally-produced products are just as safe and just as nutritious as organically-produced food.

I hope this kind of helped clear up the mud.  What other labels do you see? 

June Dairy Month: Farm-Made Energy

MythBuster MONDAY: Dairy products taste good, but should not be an essential part of every meal

FALSO! 

Recent news -- Do you remember the good ole' food pyramid?  It has now been revamped and is in the shape of a plate.  The shape may have shifted from a pyramid to plate, but the message remains the same:  dairy is an important part of the daily diet, for adults and children alike.  The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) released this new model earlier this month.

What foods are included in the dairy group?
All fluid milk products and many foods made from milk are considered part of this food group.  Most Dairy Group Choices should be fat-free or low-fat.  Foods made from milk that retain their calcium content are part of the group. 

What foods are not included in the dairy group?
Foods made from milk that have little to no calcium, such as cream cheese, cream , and butter, are not. 

How much food from the daily group is needed daily?

Daily recommendation
Children		2-3 years old		2 cups
		4-8 years old		2 ½ cups
Girls		9-13 years old		3 cups
		14-18 years old		3 cups
Boys		9-13 years old		3 cups
		14-18 years old		3 cups
Women		19-30 years old		3 cups
		31-50 years old		3 cups
		51+ years old		3 cups
Men		19-30 years old		3 cups
		31-50 years old		3 cups
		51+ years old		3 cups

What counts as a cup?

		Amount that counts as 1 cup in the Dairy Group		Common portions and cup equivalents
Milk [choose fat-free or low-fat milk]		1 cup milk or calcium-fortified soymilk (soy beverage) 1 half-pint container milk or soymilk ½ cup evaporated milk
Yogurt [choose fat-free or low-fat yogurt]		1 regular container (8 fluid ounces)		1 small container (6 ounces) = ¾ cup
		1 cup yogurt		1 snack size container (4 ounces) = ½ cup
Cheese [choose reduced-fat or low-fat yogurt]		1 ½ ounces hard cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Parmesan) 1/3 cup shredded cheese		1 slice of hard cheese is equivalent to ½ cup milk
		2 ounces processed cheese (American) ½ cup ricotta cheese		1 slice of processed cheese is equivalent to 1/3 cup milk
		2 cups cottage cheese		½ cup cottage cheese is equivalent to ¼ cup milk
Milk-based desserts [choose fat-free or low-fat types]		1 cup pudding made with milk 1 cup frozen yogurt
		1 ½ cups ice cream		1 scoop ice cream is equivalent to 1/3 cup milk
Soymilk		1 cup calcium-fortified soymilk

Tips for making wise choices in the dairy group:

• Include milk or calcium-fortified soymilk as a beverage at meals. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk.
• If you usually drink whole milk, switch gradually to fat-free milk, to lower saturated fat and calories. Try reduced fat (2%), then low-fat (1%), and finally fat-free (skim).
• If you drink cappuccinos or lattes — ask for them with fat-free (skim) milk.
• Add fat-free or low-fat milk instead of water to oatmeal and hot cereals.
• Use fat-free or low-fat milk when making condensed cream soups (such as cream of tomato).
• Have fat-free or low-fat yogurt as a snack.
• Make a dip for fruits or vegetables from yogurt.
• Make fruit-yogurt smoothies in the blender.
• For dessert, make chocolate or butterscotch pudding with fat-free or low-fat milk.
• Top cut-up fruit with flavored yogurt for a quick dessert.
• Top casseroles, soups, stews, or vegetables with shredded reduced-fat or low-fat cheese.
• Top a baked potato with fat-free or low-fat yogurt.

Want to learn more about the new model?  Visit "Choose my Plate" for more information.

June Dairy Month: Dairy's Community Contribution

Hay! What did you do this weekend?

Well.... we "made hay"! 

Our cows are fed a very specific and well balanced ration.  High quality ALFALFA is an important part of that diet.  A field of alfalfa is usually made into hay or haylage.  Hay is in a much dryer form and is stored as a small bale or a big bale.  Haylage has a higher moisture level, is chopped into a particle size of a few inches, and is stored in bunkers, silos, or bags.  A big part of any dairy farmer's summer is preparing and storing the feed that the cows will eat all throughout the year. 

Well, so what?  Big deal.  It is a big deal!  How and when you make your haylage in the summer can determine the milk production and health of your cows throughout the whole year!  It has to be cut at a certain time in the maturation process - it cant be too "young" or too "old" or the vitamin, nutrient, and energy levels will not be ideal.  Its kind of like harvesting your garden.  Think of strawberries -- you cant pick them too soon or too late, or they wont be good. And, hopefully this lines up with our friend the sun - which needs to shine for a few days!!  Most of the time we are done with hay by the end of May, but because of all the rain we havent been able to get into the fields.  Usually we get 3 or 4 "crops" or harvests off of our alfalfa fields.  28 days after each crop the field can be harvested again.

For "1st crop," we are going to be chopping all of our hay and storing it in large, white bags.  It's quite a process, and involves a lot of team-work and cooperation.  Here are the basics of chopping hay on our dairy:

1. First, we cut the hay with a discbine.  This machine cuts the alfalfa and places it into thinner "rows."

2. Second, after the sun has dried the hay a bit, we merge or rake the rows together.

3.  Next, the chopper will pick up the hay and chop it into smaller particles.  An "arm" on the chopper will move the "haylage" into a wagon that will take it back to the farm.

4.  Finally, the wagon will drive the haylage to the farm to be "bagged."  The haylage will be placed into a long white bag, which is vaccuum sealed to ensure that it will not spoil.

Here is a video that I put together of ALL the steps of making hay.

MythBuster MONDAY: Baby calves are mistreated and don’t receive proper attention.

Fact: To help protect calves, dairy farmers place the animals in clean, dry, individual pens shortly after birth to control their environment, administer proper nutrition and vaccinations, and get them off to a healthy start.

First and foremost, the future of any dairy herd depends on the health of their newborn calves.   I believe that the care of baby calves is one of the most important jobs on a dairy farm.  On our dairy, another employee and myself are the primary caretakers of the babies.  It's quite the responsibility... let me tell you! 

After the calf is delivered safely, it is transported to a clean, dry, individual pen.  Within 6 hours, the calf is administered its vaccinations, the navel is dipped with Iodine (to dry it out and prevent infection), and then is bottle-fed colostrum.  Colostrum is their mother's, "first milk", and is powerpacked with vitamins, nutrients, and antibodies that set the calf's health up for life.  We bottle feed the calves to make sure that it receives the proper amount of colostrum.  This is really the most important step -- I can always pick out a calf that did not receive its colostrum on a timely basis because it will get sick more often than others.   

We feed our calves milk twice a day. The calf drinks out of a bottle for the first few days and then will transition to drinking out of a bucket.   They are also offered warm water throughout the year.   Calves are checked 4-5 times during a day and are regularly monitored by our veterinarian.

Pic of one of the little ones drinking from her bucket

Here is a video of a litte Jersey (about two weeks old) drinking her milk out of a bucket.  Jerseys are interesting little creatures and have quite the personalities.  This Jersey enjoys playing in the milk and playing with her bucket! It usually takes her twice as long as the Holstein calves to finish her milk.

June Dairy Month: Wisconsin - the BIG cheese!

Cows on the Concourse!!!

If you are looking to take a closer look at dairy without going to a farm.... go to Cows on the Concourse tomorrow in Madison!  Why not check out the farmers market AND celebrate June Dairy Month at the same time!

You can enjoy grilled cheese, coloring contests, "moooo-ing" contests AND get to meet a bunch of dairy cows!

Here is a video from my friend Laura with her cow, Ginger, regarding Cows on the Concourse.

Its a great time for everyone!! :)

Do me a favor, and ask the dairy farmers a lot of questions.  Ask them how they care for their cows... and what their favorite part about being a dairy farmer is!

June FunFact:

Did you know? 

99% of Wisconsin dairy farms are family owned!

Although some dairy farms have multiple employees, the vast majority of dairy farms are owned by families.   Dairy farms are very dynamic and need various talents from family members.  Most times, each family member has a portion of the dairy that they manage.  For example, the owner's son may manage the milking parlor because he is an excellent communicator and teacher.  Another family member might have excellent animal husbandry skills and take care of the baby calves.

June Dairy Month Kickoff!!!

Looking for more ways to experience the dairy difference? Join us at one of our dairy farm breakfast events where you'll get the opportunity to learn firsthand what makes Wisconsin dairy products so special.

Visit The Dairy Difference and check out the "Farm Breakfast Locator" to see where and when the dairy breakfasts are held in Wisconsin.  Its a exciting opportunity to spend some real time on a dairy farm and get a first hand look at Wisconsin's signature dairy industry. 

I LOVE June Dairy Month!  Especially the dairy breakfasts... chocolate milk, string cheese, ice cream.. yummmmmmmm!!! 

Im pretty excited to go to the largest dairy farm in Wisconsin, Rosendale Dairy, on June 26th in Rosendale, WI.  At this dairy, they milk 8400 cows and produce 78,000 gallons of milk a day.  Yowsers!! Here is the website for the dairy, Rosendale Dairy.

Will you be visiting a dairy farm near you?  I hope so!