How we care for our Dairy Cows

Transcription

1 How we care for our Dairy Cows For years our family has had access to fresh milk from pasture-raised cows either through cow shares, neighbours, or our own family cows. We are very thankful for this, and if we couldn t get fresh milk from healthy, happy, grass fed cows, we d just give up milk until we could get it again. If you are reading this, chances are you feel the same way, and you are interested in securing a good supply of milk for yourself or your family. So keep reading to learn more about our farm s cows and how we care for them. 1

2 Our farm started with gardens, then laying hens, then broiler chickens, then pigs. Then we introduced cows. We added cows to our farm for a few reasons. Cows add diversity to the pasture rotations. Cows add a tremendous amount of organic matter to a farm. Cows have the ability to feed our family, our customers, and even our other livestock. However, cows add other extras extra fencing, extra equipment, extra work, and extra early mornings. The cows are our 12-hour tethers that prevent us from leaving the farm for more than a few hours at a time. Because our farm is small and diverse, it thrives. The diversity means many foods for you to choose from, the smallness means very limited supply. This is especially true of dairy products. It seems like the whole city is clamouring for real, fresh milk from real grass fed cows. We started with one cow, a Jersey but cows are like potato chips; you can t just have one. Less than a month later we purchased a Dexter cow. We have since purchased more cows to add to our dairy herd as well as many cows for the beef herd, and the cows we have generously provide us with milk and a new calf each year. Our milking cows have times of high milk production, and times of low. Cows are very seasonal animals, but modern day demands ask us to push them for milk year round. In a setting without human interference, a cow would calve in the spring, (when grass is at it s best), then produce milk until winter sets in. The cow would wean her calf and rest to prepare for another spring calving. But we like milk on our table all year round, don t we? Who doesn t enjoy a nice glass of eggnog at Christmastime, or whipping cream for a St. Valentines dessert? So, the dairy cow is often pushed beyond what is natural. Same goes for all those beef cows that are required to calve in the dead of winter so the farmer has better sale weights in the fall. On our farm, our goal is not to push the animals far beyond their natural limits, but to see their natural capabilities performing at their best. We want to see our livestock thriving with vitality and health. To this end, we work hard to care for our cows in harmony with the land and other animals on the farm. Our cows are outside everyday, even in the winter they enjoy being outside. Cows need plenty of fresh air and exercise year round, not just on sunny summer days. We do not use tie stalls, or even free stalls, but they are in a 2

3 stall for about 10 minutes twice per day at milking time! Their footing is always on grass, earth, or hay bedding, never concrete or metal grates. In spring, summer, and fall, we keep the cows on rotational pasture over a large area. In the winter months, they have a large treed paddock with a shelter and are fed certified organic hay from our farm. The majority of manure the cows produce falls directly on the pasture rather than on the floor of their sleeping/loafing areas or in the milking stalls. This achieves two things. First, the manure is put right where it should be on the actively growing pasture vegetation, (our laying hens help spread it out nicely, then the sun, earth, insects and rain do the rest), and secondly, the sleeping/loafing areas and the milking stalls of the barn stay clean. When a cow does soil in a sleeping area or milking stall, it falls on junk hay (also organic of course) that we use for bedding. The manure is removed daily by pitchfork and added to our compost pile. It should be noted that things do get pretty muddy for a few weeks in the spring! In those muddy times, we use lots of bedding to keep the milking and loafing areas as clean as possible. The clean living conditions we describe are paramount to healthy cows and fresh, clean milk. There are other factors that keep the milk tasting fresh and clean as well. Keeping any equipment used to handle milk clean is an absolute must, and this includes the milk jars you use, and return. Testing the milk for ph and for bacteria also help keep things as they should be and helps us detect problems before they surface. Keeping our milk fridge at the right temperature is essential as well. What a cow is fed has a dramatic impact on milk flavour. Silage and haylage can create unpleasant flavours in the milk, and both these fermented feeds can contribute to the bacteria listeria in raw milk, so those are feeds that we will not use on our farm. When we re-seed pastures, we use mixes of clover, alfalfa, timothy, and other grasses or legumes. These are perfect for grazing cows. However, the last time our farm s pastures were used before we came along was back in the early 70 s, so we have more than a few undesirable weeds growing too. Most times, this is not an issue, but in times of drought, the cows can be found nibbling those less than desirable plant species, which can contribute to interesting flavours in the milk. Over time, these less palatable species will give way to better forage for our cows. How the milk is stored is important too. All milk is perishable. Grocery store milk will putrefy if not kept properly, and fresh milk will turn sour. Milk should be kept at 4 C to prevent souring before its time. If you have a 3

4 hard time keeping your fridge at this temperature without freezing all your fruits and veggies, we have suggestions towards the end of this document. Many people ask us about grain. Do we give it to our cows? Yes. We have never yet met any dairy farmer that doesn t use grain for their dairy cows, and we know many! The only thing that seems to differ from farm to farm is the quantity and quality of grain used. Some farms use grain to get the cows into the barn at milking time, some farms feed very large amounts of the cows daily intake as grain. Some farms use organic grain, some use the cheap GMO chemically grown stuff from the feed store. Some grow their own organic grains; some grow their very own chemical soaked GMO s. Some farms do a bit of each depending on markets and weather. So what does our farm do? The small amount of grain we use is certified organic, and locally grown. The feed mixture is mostly flax seed and peas, with some barley, corn, and wheat, as well as trace minerals, kelp and salt. Feed is used only at milking time, (or to lure an escaped cow back to her pasture!) and the quantity is very small. In nature, cows would self-harvest ripe seed heads and small grains in the summer and fall order to increase their protein intake and maintain milk production for their calf, and to keep themselves in condition through the winter months while growing another calf during pregnancy. In a rotational grazing system, this doesn t occur, as the pasture is always being eaten before seed heads ripen, so we give a small portion of grain at milking. Heritage breed cows like our milking Dexters have a very small grain requirement, less than a pound per day, along side the pounds of hay or grass they also consume. Dexter s can perform on even the poorest of hay or forage. It wouldn t be much that they would produce, but they would do it. We only give our Dexter a tiny amount of grain at milking time to maintain her body condition and to hold her still. You try milking a wiggly cow! Our Jersey s are a little different. Still one of the traditional old breeds, Jersey s have been bred to produce much more milk than their grandmothers ever did. With higher milk production comes a greater need for properly balanced food intake to prevent health and metabolic issues. They eat more hay daily, and even if you give a Jersey poor hay, she will continue to produce lots of rich, creamy milk at her body s expense, eventually becoming ill. 4

5 Excellent pastures and perfect weather may well be all a Jersey would need to maintain herself in her country of origin, but in Canada, we cannot grow pasture for all of the year, and when we can, the weather often battles at odds against us, and hay quality varies considerably. Weather affects the protein and mineral content of the forage. So we offer all the cows extra minerals, salt, and kelp free choice at all times, as well as a small amount grain at milking time. We may increase the amount slightly in the really cold days of winter. The great majority of their daily intake comes from forage and hay; the grain we give is more like a cookie! In early 2014, we learned of a farmer in Ontario who no longer feeds grain. It took him over 20 years to get his herd to that point, but now we know that it can be done. We are now working on creating a completely grain-free dairy herd. It will take some time, but it is what we will work towards. We have already begun to selectively breed our cows to reduce the dependence on grain even further. As we improve our pastures and hay lands, and breed only the best cows, we feel that we can eventually create a dairy herd that does not require any grain. However, this may take years, and is something our children will truly reap the benefits of. Another important thing to talk about is health, or lack of health. What do we do when a cow is ill? First, we do everything we can to prevent an illness from taking place at all. Fresh air, sunlight, exercise, low stress, proper food, and housing all help prevent illness. We also use natural remedies (like Homeopathy, Apple Cider Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil, Molasses, etc.) to prevent common cow problems. There are no natural remedies that we would use on our cows that we wouldn t also feel confident using on ourselves or on our children. We are blessed to know a few farms within a stones throw of us that are organic and never have resorted to antibiotics, chemical de-wormers, or other health harming substances. We learn much from these farms, and we consult with them often to prevent health problems in our small herd. Our cows are members of our extended animal family. They have names, and come when called. Our children spend time with them, and the cows mingle with the other farm animals. They add to the joy and health of our farm, they are not just milk dispensers for us to use as we please. They are giving creatures that deserve our deepest respect and appreciation Below are some commonly asked questions along with answers: 5

6 Q: Are the cows tested free of TB and brucellosis? A: The cows were purchased from farms that are TB and brucellosis free. The last case of TB in a Canadian Dairy cow was in the 50's and it is generally known not to be a risk within the bovine population here in Canada to date. There are still some issues with it in the USA & the UK. Canada was declared brucellosis free in Q: How are the cows teats washed or prepared for milking? A: We use a gentle hydrogen peroxide solution to wash the teats of the cows. However, the natural properties of the milk make contamination from the teats a far lesser probability than improperly washed milking equipment, or poor milk handling. Milking equipment is cleaned after each milking, and twice per week we use both a hydrogen peroxide solution and a vinegar solution to kill bacteria, pathogens and prevent the build up of milk stone, which can also lead to the contamination of milk. Q: Is milk kept chilled in a stainless steel tank, or individual containers? A: If by 'stainless steel tank', you mean a bulk tank, no. As far as I'm concerned the bulk tanks is a by-product of the era of pasteurization. Warm milk enters the tank and is immediately cooled. As more milk is added, warm milk enters the tank and mixes with the chilled milk, until all the milk is removed from the tank and the tank is cleaned. When dealing with raw milk, warm and cold milk should NEVER be mixed, as it leads to the growth of undesired bacteria and off flavours. If the milk from a bulk tank is destined for pasteurization, then the mixing of warm and cold milk is less of an issue. So on our farm, the milk is collected in the sealed stainless steel milking can via the teat cups and milk lines, and then it is filtered, poured directly into glass containers, then refrigerated at 4 degrees C. Q: Is milk is tested regularly to ensure the absence of bacteria or pathogens? A: Milk is tested daily, weekly, monthly and bi-annually for a number of different things. Each test gives insight to the health of the cow and/or the quality of the milk. We can test for ph daily, as it is a simple and easy test to see if there is something wrong with the milk. We can test on farm weekly for SCC (somatic cell count), which can help indicate if there are any health issues with the cow. We can test via laboratory monthly for fat, 6

7 protein, and SCC. We test bi-annually for Vitamin D level for a cow s first lactation, just because I'm curious about that. It s a very expensive test, so if you d like to have more Vitamin testing done, you ll have to pay for it! We also 'test' the milk daily by: taste- it should taste sweet, not salty smell- it should smell fresh like grass or hay, not like cow or manure look - the milk filter should be free of anything that indicates a cow with a compromised immune system making cheese - you can't make cheese with contaminated milk, it won't work. I make cheese about 3-4 times a week. storage - milk should keep for up to 15 days (or longer) when stored properly. Properly means at 4 degrees in a clean storage vessel. We generally don't yet test for specific bacteria as we have discussed this with the laboratory and other dairy farmers and if there are no signs of problems with the milk or the cows, then it is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. There are many, many hundreds of bacteria types to test for; so which one do you look for? We can order what is called a 'basic plate test' and it will give us a read on the amount of bacteria that may be present, but again the lab and other dairy farmers we spoke with said it was something that would be better used where there is a problem with the milk that can't be pinned down. For example, if the milk wasn't keeping properly, and the fridge temperature was correct, and the storage vessels clean, we would test. Or if the milk were not working to make cheese, we would test. Here are some things to please keep in mind regarding your dairy products: -Fresh clean milk should store for up to 14 days if unopened and stored in a proper manner. Once opened, it can start to sour sooner. We have one CSA member who regularly keeps milk for far longer than 14 days, and we have kept milk fresh for 20 days. -Milk should be stored at 4 degrees Celsius. Milk stored at anything higher will not store as well. -If you find it hard to keep your fridge the right temperature for milk without wrecking all your fruits and veggies, try storing your milk jars loosely in a cardboard box without a lid. The box will keep the cold air around the milk whenever the fridge door opens. Make sure the jars are really cold before placing them in the box. -When transporting your milk home, it is best to do so in an insulated container, especially in the hotter months. A thick blanket coving your tote in the car in the winter months when the heater is on can also be useful if you have a long drive home. 7

8 -Be careful not to accidentally contaminate your milk when you open it. The lid on your counter will be a magnet for toast crumbs or other objects that don t belong. Just ask my kids! -Avoid leaving your milk out longer than you need to pour it. Milk that warms up sours faster. -Sour milk is useful! It can be used for baking, drinking, and making simple cheeses. Same goes for sour cream. -Milk from cows that are in heat (ovulating) can taste off. This is not something you d notice from a farm with many cows, but our cows go into heat at the same time, every three weeks, until they are bred. Children (and the occasional adult) are most likely to notice a taste change. It is still fine to drink. -Milk jars that are clean but have moisture in them will grow mould. Mould is very hard to remove. Make sure your empty milk jars are completely dry before putting the lids on them. -To check your jars to make sure they are properly cleaned, take off the lid and smell inside the jar. If it smells mouldy, the jar was not fully dry. If it smells like soap, it needed a better rinsing. If it smells like old milk, it needs to be washed better. If you smell nothing, you ve done a perfect job! -Please remove stickers and writing from jar lids BEFORE washing. The heat in a dishwasher will cook them on and make it hard to remove later -If there is a number of the top of the milk jar, it represents the date. The number 10 means the 10 th. Drink the oldest milk soonest. Most times of the year the milk your milk will have been collected within 24 hours prior to your pick up. In low supply times it will be from earlier days in the week too. If there is no date on your milk jar, that s because it was collected within 48 hours of picking up your tote. -If you want to clabber milk, use your old milk. Fresh milk can take ages, and then pick up an off flavor. -You must return your jars weekly. -You feedback is important. We do many things here to monitor and maintain milk quality, but your comments are part of our quality control too! If ever anything seems amiss with your milk, let us know so we can immediately identify and solve the problem. 8