Vague question for raw dairy drinkers

[TylerDurden]

I was wondering:- does feeding the cows on grains increase their milk-yield  each day, or not at all? 

Also, how often do UK customers think that UK raw dairy farmers are also 100 percent grassfed cattle-owners? It's just that in the UK raw-dairy sellers in most cases never ever mention whether their cattle are grassfed. I'm considering occasionally buying some raw, grassfed dairy for those visiting acquaintances who don't wish to sample my 'high-meats"(!) and the like, but who would settle for raw dairy instead. I mean, I sometimes feel a bit like a drug-dealer and a hypocrite  if I offer them chocolates  or sweets or cooked foods, even if that's what they want.

[RawZi]

    I don't know about the laws in the UK, but here in the US in the state I live I have to sign a lot of papers to get raw milk, and part of what I agree to on those papers is the milk I get is only for my own consumption and minors in my care.  I am not allowed to serve it to age of majority humans.  I know that's not what you asked though.

[ys]

i've heard that they give cow lots of salt so they drink more water which result in more milk.

[Raw in Florida]

Tyler I have spoken to a few farmers both organic and conventional about this. Grain feeding is primarily used for cattle that will be used for meat. It is the fastest way to fatten up a cow. Dairy cows are usually not fed grains on organic farms (at least here in Florida) with a few exceptions. The farmers I speak to (some personal friends of mine who wouldn't bullshit me) say that grass-fed cows produce the best milk and the most consistent yields. They also told me getting through the winters is tough for both them and the cows. The demand for dairy is still there, but the grass is thinning in the fields or nonexistent. Many farmers will feed grains at this point. There is a noticeable difference in raw milk from grass and grain fed cows. In the winter I cut my milk consumption to a minimal and mostly drink vegetable juices and water.

My advice is get to know the source you are buying from and try and avoid dairy in the winter because it is the lowest quality. Always buy fresh, except cheeses of course.

[ForTheHunt]

That is true. Most people don't think milk is seasonal. But it is.

It's a spring/summer food. When the calves are newborn and the grass is green.

[Wolf]

I live in California of the USA and get my raw milk and raw butter from a health food store, without any hassle whatsoever other than driving all the way out there, Organic Pastures brand.  "Only organic green pasture and approved naturopathic methods are used to ensure the health and well being of our cows..." is written on the label of the butter, probably on the milk too but I don't have that here in front of me, and this site also tells more about their cows and dairy -- http://www.organicpastures.com/about.html

The site says the cows are 100% pasture grazed, and that the farm is family owned.  The milk and butter I've consumed from them is amazing and delicious.  If I could, I would even visit the farm to check it out, but it's way up in Northern California, and I'm down here in Southern California, and it would probably take me days to drive there.

But uh, I have no idea the different of milk-yield via grass-fed vs grain-fed, or about dairy in the UK.  You could probably try calling the dairy and asking, though, or if it's close enough, to go visit them.

[TylerDurden]

My advice is get to know the source you are buying from and try and avoid dairy in the winter because it is the lowest quality. Always buy fresh, except cheeses of course.

Yes, that's good advice. It does seem a bit boring offering people raw fruit/veg. Come to think of it, though, I have noticed that many raw-dairy-sellers in the UK sell their raw dairy in prefrozen form, so it could be kept over from the autumn.

[raw-al]

RE the reduced availability of milk in winter spring;

Our farmer will email us in the spring sometimes and advise of a period of time when milk is scarce due to "drying out the cows" so they can get pregnant.

If you want to know everything about the history of, politics, and nutrition of milk i recommend "The Untold Story Of Milk".

[bharminder]

I spoke with a farmer who grass feeds his cows 100% and milks them by hand. He says most dairy producers will feed grain because grass feeding is not particularly profitable. Then he said he experiences about a 40% drop in milk production from grass feeding, but that the quality is far superior.

[p0wer]

I don't know about other places, but in Germany milk in the supermarkets is in general cheaper than bottled water. Go figure it.

[raw-al]

How much per litre?

[HIT_it_RAW]

cheapest in the netherlands do down to 50cent/ltr i believe. my 95percent grassfed organic milk is 80cents a litre. milk in general is cheap(ish) here.

[HIT_it_RAW]

grass fed cows produce milk with more fat and more prot. in the winter the cows on the farm i go get a mixture of stored grass (not hay. its piled up semi dry than covered, stays moist) mais and grains. in the summer they only get a handfull grain ones a day when they are milked.

[raw-al]

cheapest in the netherlands do down to 50cent/ltr i believe. my 95percent grassfed organic milk is 80cents a litre. milk in general is cheap(ish) here.

We pay 2 canadian dollars / liter for raw milk. Plus we pay about $ 50. can.D for the cowshare.

Regular pasteurized stuff at the store is around $ 1.50 Can/litre

[HIT_it_RAW]

the netherlands is packet full with dairy cows. 2can dollr is about 1,50euro so more than 2 times wwhat i pay and i dont pay cowshare. raw butter is 8euro/kg here. al raw cheese is salted but around 12-15euro/kg

we have a so called milk pool meaning that as a nation we produce way more milk than we can drink so we export and have about 5zillion different types of yoghurt cheese and other non milk dairy product in the store. all skimmed, pasteurised, sweetend and disgusting off course.

[raw-al]

the netherlands is packet full with dairy cows. 2can dollr is about 1,50euro so more than 2 times wwhat i pay and i dont pay cowshare. raw butter is 8euro/kg here. al raw cheese is salted but around 12-15euro/kg

we have a so called milk pool meaning that as a nation we produce way more milk than we can drink so we export and have about 5zillion different types of yoghurt cheese and other non milk dairy product in the store. all skimmed, pasteurised, sweetend and disgusting off course.

Wow good deal!

Actually I am told that people near Toronto pay even more for raw milk but it is delivered. Not absolutely sure if that is true.

[Josh]

I was wondering:- does feeding the cows on grains increase their milk-yield  each day, or not at all? 

Also, how often do UK customers think that UK raw dairy farmers are also 100 percent grassfed cattle-owners? It's just that in the UK raw-dairy s, but who would settle for raw dairy instead. I mean, I sometimes feel a bit like a drug-dealer and a hypocrite  if I offer them chocolates  or sweets or cooked foods, even if that's what they want.

Hey Tyler. I've got this link for UK raw dairy. I don't use it so no idea what they're like.

http://www.hookandson.co.uk/HOW%20TO%20GET%20OUR%20MILK/how%20to%20get%20our%20milk.html

If they're on a standard diet anyway, don't you think cooked grass fed meat/rare would be doing them a favour though?

[TylerDurden]

I find cooking wastes so much of my time, though.

[Josh]

Fair enough, let them eat cow juice. If you do need it, I've been eating rare lamb mince burgers as a transition thing - just shape them and stick them under the grill.

[blimpie]

I find cooking wastes so much of my time, though.

I'm gonna add that line to my signature if you don't mind, Geoff.

[TylerDurden]

I'm gonna add that line to my signature if you don't mind, Geoff.

No probs. Though I would rather  have it assigned to "tylerdurden" if that's OK.

[blimpie]

No probs. Though I would rather  have it assigned to "tylerdurden" if that's OK.

The problem with that, would be that Brad Pitt never said it in the movie. So I'll just use your name for the sake of remaining honest. Thanks.