History of Milk


Milking has been
dated back to almost
30,000 years ago, to
a tribe in the Middle
East who
domesticated
antelope for their
milk.
History of Milk [cont]

The Christian bible
references milk over
50 times.
− So I have come down to rescue them
from the hand of the Egyptians and to
bring them up out of that land into a
good and spacious land, a land flowing
with milk and honey—

- Exodus 3:8


Cows saved the
Jamestown settlers in
the 1600's.
– In 1606, the settlers of Jamestown didn't
make it through winter. A few years later, a
man brought 100 cows. Milk saved them
through the winter.
 History of Milk [cont]

Dairy began in the
north east, where grain
mills and breweries
were aplenty in the 19th
and early 20th
centuries.

In 1993, California
climbed the charts and
became the United
States biggest milk
producer.
Types of Cows Used
Other Animals Used
 What about the cows?
The cows and other animals used for milking
purposes are treated very well on most dairy
farms. On family owned dairy farms, they have
a lot of pastures to roam and graze, and are
healthy animals. Most good dairy farmers will
use the colostrum (the ”milk” the mother gets
before the real milk comes in, which is usually
within days after birth) on the newborn calves,
and then bottle feed them the rest of the time.
It's no different than formula feeding our human
children.
 What about the cows? [cont]

The elderly cows that are no longer supplying

milk, are often used for meat. If a mother cow
bares a male offspring, the male is either taken
to a veal farm, or is sold to be used as a bull for
a dairy farm's artifical insemination process.
 Two Ways of Milking

Machine milking
− Machine that connects to the teats to extract the milk.
− Cleaner, less pathogens transmitted, less damage to the animal,
less risk of Mastitis.
− Quicker and more efficient. Yields more milk.

Hand milking
− Have to be VERY clean and meticulous with sanitation before
hand-milking.
− Gentler for the cows, if done properly.
− Used mostly on organic farms.
− Does not yield nearly as much milk as using a machine.
Machine Milking

Utters have to be cleaned and
massaged prior to milking.

Farmers have to test the milk by
hand-milking briefly into a cup.

Farmers have to put the equipment
on quickly as the let-down process
happens and you could lose milk.

The unit pumps the milk, but can
become loose or be on incorrectly,
which can cause pain or
discomfort.

Keeping the same routine every
day, every time, helps the cow
become comfortable with the
process.
 Hand Milking
 Cleanliness is the key. Dirty
conditions, hands, and cows can
lead to mastitis, an infection in the
utters and teat of the cow.
− It can also contaminate
the milk, which can
make humans sick.
 The wrong hold, yelling, hitting, or
not being consistent in the milking
schedule and routine can cause
lower production and an irritable
cow.
 Using a filter bucket during the first
milking can help determine if the
cow has mastitis.
Brief History of Pasteurization
Louis Pasteur, a French
chemist and biologist,
discovered this
process as a way to
stop wine and beer
from becoming bad.
He then started this
process with milk to
kill harmful bacteria
that can cause people
to get sick.
 What does pasteurization do?

Heats the milk to 161°F for 15 – 30 seconds
before cooling immediately. There are different
variations on the heating process. Sometimes
it's heated at a slower temp for a longer time
period. Sometimes hotter for less time.

Destroys many bacteria, like Salmonella,
E.Coli, and Listeria.

It also destroys many vitamins and minerals,
helpful bacteria and enzymes.
 Three Types of Pasteurization

Flash Pasteurization
− Heating at a high temperature for a short
amount of time.

Cold Pasteurization
− Radiation and/or chemicals to get rid of
bacteria.

High Pressure Pasteurization
− Bacteria is killed after using high pressure on
the milk.
 Pros to Raw Milk

Has all 20 of the standard amino acids.

Has lactoferrin, an iron-absorbant and has anti-
cancer properties.

Has Omega 6 fatty acid, conjugated linoleic
acid.

Has many vitamins and minerals, which are
otherwise destroyed in pasteurized milk.

Over 60 functional enzymes and some
beneficial bacterias.