My brother in law works at one of the top ranked (as in top 10) dairies in Utah for quality of milk.
I didn’t realize what a big deal this was until I actually visited a dairy and got the 411.
Apparently, there are different grades of milk. I did not know this. For example, Grade A milk is sold as drinking milk and used to make ice cream, whereas Grades B, C and D are made into other milk products like cheese and yogurt. It’s not surprising really, that cottage cheese is made from Grade D milk. I’ll get to that in a minute.
It’s my understanding that the grades of milk are based on a few criteria. Grade A milk is judged by the quality of cream, bacterial counts (must be low), there can’t be any antibiotics in the milk (no milk from sick cows or ones with mastitis), the milk can’t be cut with water, the milk has to be cooled within a certain time period, and the procedures for collecting and caring for the cows and milk must be sanitary.
Use your imagination for Grade D milk. Or don’t. I’ll just tell you a little something:
Cows with mastitis produce curdled milk. And, cottage cheese is curdled, isn’t it?
In the diary I visited (which only exports Grade A milk) “hospital cows” are milked separately from the healthy cows and the milk from the sick cows never make it to the consumer. Rather, that milk is fed to the calves. That is not the case in all dairies.
Are you drawing the same conclusions I have?
411 aside, we had a great time visiting the dairy and the kids particularly enjoyed trying their hand at milking the cows and bottle feeding the younger calves. Our visit was like a field trip. One of the good ones.
I’m playing along with Photo Story Friday and Give Me Your Shot.
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I am so thrilled you guys enjoyed it so much. I am glad you also got such an experience and educational field trip 🙂 To bad, you didnt live closer, so the kids could bring their classes. Ryan is so excited you blogged about it (He is feeling pretty special) Oh and the Cat is missing the kids.
That looks like so much fun!! But seriously, I’m going to think twice before eating cottage cheese again. I mean….I’ve had mastitis 4 times….
Oh no…you might have ruined cottage cheese for me forever…lol – my whole family eats it like 3 times a week.
Looks like you guys had a great and educational time! Loved all the photos esp the one with the calf being bottle fed…I grew up on a farm with cattle and was in charge of feeding the babies.
What a fun experience for the kids. I bet you learned a thing or two as well.
What an awesome field trip:-)
Love the pictures!!
I was so scared there was going to be another picture of a dead cow.
It LOOKS stinky…
And thanks for ruining cottage cheese for me.
I personally don’t think humans should drink milk once they are weaned. But I’d die w/o cheese.
I love milk but we are very picky about where we by it because you can taste the difference between different brands. And some really make you wonder… :p
I’ve got half a container of cottage cheese in my fridge left. I wonder if I’ll be able to finish it after this haha.
Okay, you ready? I went on a dairy tour when I was a kid, apparently it was a Grade F or Z or something…bottom line: I never drank milk again. LOL
I’ve always liked cottage cheese, and now you’ve upped the ick factor for it! If the cottage cheese is organic, though, then it couldn’t be from cows on antibiotics, right? RIGHT???
I could have done without some of that 411….. grade D
Love the last 2 photos. Looks like a cool visit to the dairy farm.
Very cool pictures! Grade D- gross. NEVER eating cottage cheese again.
Looks like fun. Glad we don’t love cottage cheese.
So much fun, right?! The Dudes LOVE going to the dairy. They don’t even care about the smell anymore!
One of my good friends owns a dairy farm, so we are going to do a Dairy girl scout badge there. Are you going to eat cottage cheese any time soon? haha
I knew there was a reason why I never liked cottage cheese! ::gag::
What an incredible experience for your kids, I’ll bet they won’t soon forget this!
Ewwwww Gross!! Well that was an eye opener. Not sure if I will ever eat cottage cheese again. Thanks LOL.