The Story Of Milk...As Old As history

The story of milk began thousands of years ago with the oldest known civilizations. Historians and archaeologists tell us that man probably began domesticating animals between 8000 and 5000 B.C. They believe that cattle were first used as sources of food in Asia or northeast Africa. The dairy cow, as we know her today, is a descendent of those ancient cattle.

The earliest record suggesting man's use of animals' milk as food was unearthed in a temple in the Euphrates Valley near Babylon. There an archaeologist found a mosaic frieze believed to be about 5,000 years old. It showed a shelter built of reeds; men milking cows; and milk being poured through a crude strainer into stone jars.

Milk and foods made from milk are mentioned in the Bible, Early Hindu writings and hymns often refer to milk and foods made from it. Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians recorded their use of milk in religious ceremonies, and as a medicine. The Vikings carried large supplies of butter on their sea voyages. In the 13th century, Marco Polo wrote that the strong Tartar armies enjoyed a fermented form of mare's milk. Christopher Columbus described his landing in the New World in 1492, 'It was wonderful to see...land for cattle, although they have none.'

The first domestic cattle were brought to the New World in 1518 and landed at Sable Island but none survived. Samuel de Champlain brought the first cattle which survived in 1608. A farm was established for his colony at Cap Tourmente. The farm still exists but is no longer a dairy farm.

In 1660, good breeding cows arrived in New France from Brittany and Normandy. These became the foundation stock for the only breed of dairy cattle developed in Canada...the Canadienne. Some Quebec farms are still stocked with herds bred from descendants of those sturdy, productive animals.

From farm to processing plant, dairying is an important Canadian industry. Canada ranks 8th in total milk production among the major milk producing countries. Many years of careful breeding, improved feeding, and efficient farming methods have increased the quantity, and improved the quality of milk supplied by Canadian cows.

Hundreds of thousands of Canadians depend on the dairy industry for all, or part, of their livelihood. Over 72.2 million hectolitres are produced by some 2.3 million dairy cows on 42,000 farms across Canada. This milk is processed and packaged in about 400 plants and sold as fluid milks and a variety of dairy products.

Dairy plants process 35% of Canada's milk supply as fluid milk and cream; 30% as creamery butter (and skim milk powder, a by-product of butter production); 28% as cheese; 7% as ice cream mix and concentrated milks.

Canadian purebred cattle are internationally renowned. Many are exported to start or improve herds in other parts of the world. A considerable amount of skim milk powder and evaporated milk is exported from Canada each year. In 1985, for example, exports of skim milk powder totaled 60,581 tonnes.

THE DAIRY COW

The dairy cow is the most valuable milk producing animal, providing about 8/9ths of the world's milk supply. In countries where pasture, climate or terrain are not suitable for dairy cows, other milk producing animals are raised. Among these are the camel, donkey, sheep, goat, reindeer and mare, and the not-so-familiar yak, water buffalo, zebu and llama. No other animal yields as much milk as the dairy cow. She is the main source of our milk supply in Canada.

The cow's diet is most important. She requires large quantities of water and the proper feeds to produce an average of 7,000 kilograms of milk each year.

A cow will consume during the year:

• 1.5 tonnes of hay
• 6 tonnes of silage (chopped green corn and grasses)
• 1.5 tonnes mixed grains and processed concentrated feeds
• 18 to 31 thousand litres of water
• salt and other minerals, and vitamin supplements
• and about 2 hectares of grass pasture

The cow's efficient digestive system and the action of enzymes in her stomach, make it possible for her to utilize coarse vegetable matter which cannot be tolerated by other animals or man.

The dairy cow chews her feed many times before it is digested. There a 4 compartments in a cow's stomach. When the moistened and partly fermented feed reaches the second compartment, it is formed into small, compact balls called cuds. These are regurgitated, one at a time, and chewed an many as 60 times! This is called rumination. The cow spends about 8 hours each day ruminating. After swallowing, the feed moves along to the third compartment where it is further softened and broken down by a grinding motion. When it is fine enough, a reflex action forces the feed into the final compartment and here it is thoroughly moistened and digestion begins. It then gushes into the small intestine where digestion is completed and absorption begins.

In addition to the cow's diet, the amount of milk she produces also depends on her breed, age and stage of lactation. Cows are milked twice daily for 305 days of the year. A good 'milker' will give about 30 litres each day. For the remaining 60 days, the cow is dry and not milked. This period gives her time to rest and store important body-building nutrients before her calf is born. She gives birth to a calf yearly.

THE DAIRY FARM

The modern dairy farm is likely to be a very specialized operation. In earlier times, cows were found on most farms where they were part of a 'mixed' operation. Whereas, farms now tend to specialize in one type of agriculture. They are generally much larger, too, although there are considerably fewer of them. Modern methods and equipment allow for greatly increased production from the farm unit.

Even with modern, mechanized equipment, dairy farming is a very demanding occupation. Cows must be milked twice, fed, watered and otherwise cared for every day.

In order to help them tailor their production to the needs of the marketplace, most farmers have a provincial marketing board which determines the amount of milk required from each farm. Some dairy farmers belong to co-operatives which process the milk into dairy products. In the latter case, the profits from such a venture are returned to the farmer-owners.

The principal concern of the dairy farmer is the health of animals. This encompasses a number of other considerations: proper feed, appropriate housing, careful breeding practices which produce sound and efficient animals. Each of these in turn require appropriate skills. For example, in order to produce good quality food for his animals, the farmer must have a considerable knowledge of crop science; control of the harvesting and storing of his crops.

Weather plays an important role in farm management. Farmers attempt to anticipate weather variations and adjust their work routines accordingly.

Every dairy farm is a little different to the next. Different soil conditions with varying fertility, and appropriateness for specific types of crops, create needs for different types of machinery. The presence, or absence, of good drainage and the 'levelness' of the fields are factors a farmer must consider in his purchase of farm machinery. The size of his herd, and the physical shape and dimensions of his barn affects the decision to employ the proper milking machinery.

Sanitation is very important to the production of good quality milk and to the health of the herd. Consequently, it rates and receives a very high priority on the dairy farm. It calls for highly specialized equipment and careful handling.

THE DAIRY FARMER

The dairy farmer must be a good businessman with an understanding of the marketplace which allows him to adjust his production practices to meet the needs of consumers. Good bookkeeping is essential. It is very difficult for the dairy farmer to obtain an adequate return on his large investment, and compensation for the long hours he works. Without well-kept records his business would be chaotic.

The dairy farmer must continually upgrade his knowledge to keep it consistent with all of the new developments which effect the efficiency of milk production. He does this through consultation with the field staff of government and producer organizations, by the reading of specialized publications and by attendance at meetings called to discuss such matters.

THE DAIRY BARN

Although there may be several structures on the modern dairy farm such as machinery sheds and feed storage units, the principal building is the dairy barn. Some may be many years of age and have undergone considerable renovation to make them satisfactory for today's needs.

Those of recent structure will have been carefully planned with close attention paid to the design and types of materials used. The size will be dictated by the present and anticipated scale of the farm's operation. Such matters as ventilation and lighting, economy, efficiency, safety, drainage, waste removal and energy conservation are important considerations. So, too, are the relationship to wind and snow patterns, proximity to other farm buildings and to a pure water supply.

The principal variation in farm buildings is dictated by the type of housing desired for the dairy cattle:

LOOSE HOUSING simply means that when in the barn, other than where they are being milked, the cows are housed in a large communal area. Here they may rest or roam about at will. A supply of hay or other 'roughage' feed and water is generally available in such housing.

FREE STALL HOUSING is a variation of loose housing. Stalls are present but cows are not tethered and are free to seek whichever stall suits them. Food and water are kept in mangers located in the stalls.

STANCHION HOUSING is much like free stall housing except that the animals, each consigned to a specific stall, are tethered by stanchions or perhaps neck chains. These cows are usually milked in the stalls by mobile equipment. 'Comfort Stalls', which employ a strap connected to a chain in the wall, are replacing other 'stanchion' methods. Comfort stalls allow the cow more freedom to move around or lie down in comfort.

In the case of loose housing, the cows move at milking time to a 'milking parlour' where the milking machinery is permanently located. The milking parlour is an efficient way to deal with large numbers of milking cows in a reasonable time.

Regardless of how milking procedures vary, the emphasis on sanitation remains constant. The barns are cleaned daily and the cows are given fresh straw bedding to ensure cleanliness. The cows' udders are washed before milking. The milking equipment is made of stainless steel and glass with removable washable rubber parts, all of which are kept thoroughly clean.

THE MILK HOUSE

The milk arrives in the milk house, a separate and meticulously-kept building. It may be transported through glass pipes or carried in stainless steel enclosed milk buckets but it arrives in the milk house in a very pure condition. Here it is transferred to a stainless steel refrigerator tank which quickly cools the milk to just below 4*c. It is kept at that temperature until it is removed by the milk truck. Pick-ups are usually made every second day.

All of the milk-handling equipment is made with convenient and thorough cleaning in mind. This procedure is carried out conscientiously. Every surface which the milk touches is left in a sanitized condition.

Every farm and its herd are government inspected. Failure to maintain sanitation and good animal health would mean the milk could not be shipped from the farm in question.

Each farmer ships his milk to a dairy processing plant. Milk is picked up by an insulated stainless steel bulk tank milk truck. It makes regular calls at farms on its route on a very strict schedule to ensure rapid transfer of milk to the plant. Each truck driver is a licensed milk grader. He takes samples of milk into sterilized bottles which are stored in the truck for delivery to the testing laboratory. From the dipstick reading, he records the quantity of milk in the farm storage tank. A vacuum hose is attached from the truck to the storage tank. The milk is then pumped from the tank to a stainless steel tank on the truck.

TESTING OF MILK

The production and processing of high quality milk, with low bacterial count, good flavour and appearance, good keeping qualities and high nutritive value, is ensured in Canada. This is made possible through the co-operative efforts of the dairy farmer, dairy processor, and government departments responsible for enforcing dairy regulations. A number of different tests are made regularly, so records of the quality of milk produced on each dairy farm may be kept. The price paid to the farmer for his milk is based on results of these tests. Most tests are made on milk samples sent to a central government laboratory. In some provinces, some tests may be carried out at the farm, and others at the processing plant. Procedures and apparatus used in all tests must conform to government standards.

Composite milk samples from each farm are tested for milk fat at regular intervals, usually twice monthly. These are made up of the samples taken by the tank truck driver. Special samples are taken at frequent intervals for other quality tests. The farmer is notified if the quality of his milk supply is below acceptable levels, so he may correct the cause immediately. Regular reports on each farmer's milk supply are filed with the government department responsible for enforcing quality regulations. Most farmers keep records of the amount and quality of milk produced by each cow. This information is used for selective breeding and upgrading the herd.

LABORATORY TESTS

INFRARED MILK ANALYSIS (IRMA) is an electronic method of milk analysis used to measure protein, lactose (milk sugar) and milk fat. A beam of infrared light is passed through a very thin film of the milk sample as it flows through a special electric cell. Each milk component absorbs a specific amount of infrared energy at a specific wave length. By electronics, the instrument reads and transposes the amounts of absorbed energy into milk fat, protein and lactose percentages. Direct connection with a computer provides readings in less than one minute.

BACTERIA COUNTS reveal the number of bacteria present in the milk sample, and serve as indicators of milk quality. Even fresh, clean milk will contain small numbers of harmless, milk-souring bacteria. If milk contains undesirable bacteria, it is rejected for human consumption.

INHIBITOR TESTS determine the presence of antibiotics and pesticides in a milk sample. If these are present, the milk is not accepted.

FREEZING POINT OF MILK TEST determines the water content of the milk sample using an apparatus known as a cryoscope. This test discourages any attempt to dilute the milk supply.

SOMATIC CELL COUNT or MILK GEL INDEX is a test made on a milk sample to detect the presence of mastitis (a disease of the udder) in the dairy cow. Such milk is not accepted.

THE DAIRY PLANT

The dairy plant co-ordinates skilled workers and specialized equipment to process a variety of dairy products. Each successful operation requires a combination of personnel with a knowledge of dairy technology, sanitation, electrical and mechanical engineering, packaging, merchandising and business administration. Although flow patterns vary, the MILK PROCESSING FLOW CHART illustrates the movement of milk through most plants where fluid milks and creams are processed and packaged. Different types of machinery are required to make other dairy foods. Cheese, evaporated and condensed milks, butter, powdered milks, ice cream and cultured dairy products (yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream) are usually made in separate plants.

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