The Poultry Keeper

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1612 Location: Clawddnewydd

Exactly and I should know as thats where I'm from!!

manic nonie · Posted: Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:19 pm Post subject:

12000 cows I'd like to meet their stock man.
I adore real milk, but cold never warm.
I was for ever getting it in my mouth when doing bottles.
Milkmaids right I hate the way things are labeled organic but no-one labels zero grazed milk or meat it doesn't make sense to me, I don't look out for organic but I do only have dairy produces from farms I know.

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1349 Location: Leicestershire

Here I go again . . . . Rolling Eyes

During the second world war (huh - what's that got to do with dairy cows Laughing

) this country has to become self sufficient at food production, up till then being a commonweath a lot of our food was imported ( I know you wont believe that but it's true) An awful lot of arable land in this country was busy producing the food for the machines that worked the land and roads - horses, so the war was the turning point in more ways than one - machinery took over the labour and horses declines till they are now classed as leisure. Anyway in terms of food production we were way behind places like the States and Canada where specialization had been the norm in farming from the turn of the 20th centuary - think all those rolling wheat fields. . . . well the development of the dairy cow as a specialized milk producer stems from this, modern cows produce 3 or more times as much milk as their pre war predecesors. In the "good old days" there used to be this thing called the "spring flush" when dairy cows were put out to grass after the winter the milk production suddenly upped. These days it is the other way round. In order to produce so much milk the diet has to be "just so". I'm not the only regular visitor to dairy farms, nutritionalists are there regularly too, tweaking the diet according to what is in season and how the milk production is going. These days dairy cows milk production drops in spring when they are turned out as the quality of grazing feed is lower than what they were eating inside. Cows that are milked by robots (ask me about that one another time) cannot go out as they are milked when they want and not at a regular time, so the robots are working 24hrs. The dairy industry has been in the doldrums for several years now with the price per litre of milk paid to the farmers being only a few pence above production costs, any drop in production cannot be afforded if they are going to survive. I'm not saying I like it and I think most farmers like to see the cows out, but I'm just telling you why it may be.

Itsybitsy

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7145 Location: isle of lewis

itsy reliese that,i'd just like it labeled as housed organic or part housed so i could choose conventional farmed part housed and pay more for it ,but i'm lucky i know the herd that any cows milk comes from ,and their policies regarding their livestock and what they are happy with

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1349 Location: Leicestershire

I was kinda answering to anybody who wanted to read Suz, cos an awful lot of people out there don't realise what goes on in the countryside and how food is produced.

Itsybitsy

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7145 Location: isle of lewis

sorry ,those palours are pretty cool though Wink

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1349 Location: Leicestershire

Which ones? Laughing

I like working on a rotary best, but herringbones aren't bad as long as they haven't got a zigzag rump rail, abreast are good too - but being vertically challenged I need a box to stand on Shocked

I did some part time work once at my local ag college milking goats in a goat sized herringbone - bet you'd love one of those Wink

Itsybitsy

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7145 Location: isle of lewis

,

nonie knows more about parlours than i do , Embarassed

,just get flashed pics every now and again
you've got to remember i'm a crofter not a farmer Wink

,nonies the want to be farmer ,mad i tell you Wink

she says she's got changes in mind for our place Wink

,
lost my rose tinted glasses a long time ago
still love what i do though Wink

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3202 Location: Monmouthshire

Cattle in Saudi are all housed because of the heat!

CP · Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 11:36 am Post subject:

Just desserts, I'd say!
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pressass/20071207/tuk-stores-admit-dairy-price-fixing-6323e80_3.html

Heather · Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject:

~we are fortunate enough to have a farm local to us which sells green top milk & you are right it is a completely different product - the flavours seem to change throughout the year. They have a milk round which unfortunately doesn't come out as far as us - I keep asking but .... It is in huge demand . There is an enzyme in unpasteurised milk that helps you to digest it more readily , which I'm sure is why there are so many more dairy intolerances around these days.

It also comes in glass bottles which is the ultimate in recycling Smile

& we pay a proper price for it - I can't remember how much now since I haven't been along there for a while but it is at least 60p / pint

Aussie · Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 25

Wow, I've just learned a lot. I have often thought about keeping a dairy cow to milk, however, my husband who is a doctor is really concerned about the potential dangers of diseases. That's put me off a bit. Does anyone still milk into a bucket just for the family or am I being a little to romantic?

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7145 Location: isle of lewis

if there is no problem with tb there and brussilosis is tested for and equipment is sterilised sp Embarassed

,udders washed and the fore milk thrown there should be no problem,although you have to get in contact with animal health they'll give you a list of rules Wink

one of the last herds like that in scotland closed 2 years ago i think they were a couple who kept a few shetland cattle

Aussie · Joined: 30 Nov 2007 Posts: 25

Thanks, milkmaid. Sounds complicated. Maybe I should stick to the supermarket! Neutral

Heather · Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:39 pm Post subject:

http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/resources/dairy/index.shtml