kdolu Personally, I love milk. Yes, it probably has something to do with the fact that I am a dairy farmer, but drinking milk is more than just a tradition for me. It is a healthy, affordable and nutritious choice for my family.
Now, there are a lot of wacka-doodles out there that would like you to believe that milk is bad for you. “It is full of antibiotics and pus”, they say. “The cows are abused and raped”, they claim. “You are stealing milk from the baby calves” and a bunch of other crap that is simply not true.
Let’s get one thing straight, dairy farmers, of all shapes and sizes, love and care for their cattle. Dairy farmers care for their cows by providing a nutritious diet, good medical care and healthy living conditions. We work closely with veterinarians and nutritionists to keep the cows healthy and comfortable. In fact, we have a veterinarian perform check-ups on our farm every other week!
Here is something cool about the modern dairy cow: they are able to produce A LOT of milk.
Enough for their babies and enough for you and me.
Unlike the beef cow, a dairy cow is gosh darn good at making milk. By providing cows with and excellent diet, comfortable facilities and some good, old-fashioned TLC, today’s dairy cows are producing more milk than ever.
A Wisconsin dairy cow produces an average of over seven gallons of milk each day. That’s enough for more than 110 eight-ounce glasses of milk every day. Happy cows make milk, folks!
So, what exactly IS in your milk? Let me tell you what is NOT in your milk; blood, pus, antibiotics, manure, aliens and extra hormones that will make your husband grow man-boobs. Milk is simple and it is pure. It contains essential nutrients including calcium, potassium and phosphorus; plus it is fortified with vitamins A and D.
From the dairy to you, milk goes through strict quality controls to ensure safety, freshness and great taste. Do I use antibiotics on our dairy farm? Heck yes! I’m not going to let a sick animal suffer. I use antibiotics when needed and discard the milk until it tests negative for antibiotics. Furthermore, every tank of milk in the U.S. is tested for antibiotics when it reaches the creamery. In the unlikely event that it does test positive for antibiotics, the entire load of milk is disposed of.
Everyone in the dairy industry works hard and follows regulations to ensure that the milk you feed your family is safe and healthy.
Okay, we know that milk is safe, nutritious and comes from farm families who care for their cows, but do we need to drink milk? Can’t we get the calcium our bodies need for strong bones some other way? The truth is, you can; foods like spinach and broccoli are full of calcium and other nutrients. But, it would take 21 cups of chopped broccoli to deliver the same amount of calcium as three glasses of milk.
I love veggies, but TWENTY ONE CUPS OF BROCCOLI?? Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t wanna be sitting around all day munching on broccoli, nor could I afford it.
“Help me! I’m poor!” (Sorry, I just watched Bridesmaids).
I live in the middle of nowhere and getting fresh produce isn’t easy to access or afford. But you know what I can find just about anywhere? A gallon of milk.
Maybe you don’t like milk or maybe you are lactose intolerant. That is fine; there are plenty of other options in and out of the dairy case. You do you. For me and my family, milk is an affordable, healthy and safe way to get the nutrients we need to be rock stars at life. Bonus: milk comes from super, awesome dairy farmers like me!
