Happy Trails... For Now?

Have yourself a Mooory Christmas!

Snow is on the ground, temperatures are dipping well below zero, and "Jingle Bells" is blaring on the radio. Christmas is the obvious explanation. With it being Christmas time and all, it can only mean: 

1.Wearing layers upon layers of clothes to class so you don't freeze on the way there. BRRRR! 

What a typical student at NDSU looks like walking around campus during winter.

2.Even more sleep deprived nights of studying for the dreaded finals.

Pretty much sums it up.

3. The ending of another semester here at North Dakota State University. 

Sadly, along with the ending of the semester, my weekly blog posts about the awesome dairy community will also come to a close. 

WAIT, DID YOU SAY... END?!

NOOO....

WHY DOES IT HAVE TO END?!

Yes, I know. How could I stop writing? Why would I want to stop in the first place? Well, the blog that you have been keeping up with these past few months was in fact part of my COMM 133 class (Introduction to Agricultural Communication) that I am taking at NDSU. Part of the class assignments was to keep up a somewhat weekly blog about a topic in agriculture that interested us. I choose the dairy industry as my main focus. I must admit, it was kind of fun putting posts together and finding the different information needed for a week's specific criteria. But like all good things, it must come to an end. I may or may not come back to the blog and write a small post here and there, but I'm afraid the "weekly" posts are done for now.

Before I go however, I want to leave you readers with some other great websites and blogs to try to still get your dairy reading material.

One of my personal favorite blogs is hosted by Carrie Mess. She along with her husband run a dairy farm in Wisconsin. When she isn't busy with farm life, she runs Dairy Carrie. Many of her posts also deal with the dairy industry and she offers her opinions on certain topics within it as well. I highly recommend it.

Another one you should check out is the famous cow artist, Bonnie Mohr's own blog, Second Floor Chat. Not only does she paint beautiful cows, but she also posts about what activities she does in the dairy industry between paintings.

As for websites, I suggest going to the Midwest Dairy Association, Dairy Farming Today, and the National Dairy Council. They are great for general information about the dairy industry. Some of them lead to even more useful websites that discuss what dairy farming is all about. There are also some tasty dairy recipes to try as well.

It has been a blast these past few months getting to write about something I am so passionate for. Along with sharing all that I know about the dairy community with you, I too have learned many new things through this blog writing process. And who knows, I may just show up again later with more information to share with you. Until then, thank you again for sticking with me. Don't forget your three servings each day and remember to have a dairy good day every day!

Happy trails!

Pictures located at:

http://mariacristinamoreno.blogspot.com/2013/11/christmas-cow-wallpaper.html

http://giphy.com/gifs/movie-christmas-winter-xragmzHXbZzAk

http://www.quickmeme.com/Finals-Week-Hunger-Games

http://www.ndsubookstore.com/MerchDetail.aspx?MerchID=1111472#.VH4_uDHF-So

http://giphy.com/gifs/cry-own-6BNXHG8PeS1xK

http://giphy.com/gifs/mfw-finals-notes-Q3tOCfoaeh1qo

http://giphy.com/gifs/sad-crying-emma-stone-AauJT0w8cJoSQ

http://dairycarrie.com/

http://www.bonniemohr.com/blog/new-look-0

https://heynonnynonnyyyy.wordpress.com/

Milk Life Answers the Question: Got Milk?

For the past couple of decades, we have all been familiar with the popular slogan: Got Milk? We have seen plenty of celebrities throughout the years embrace the iconic "milk mustache" on billboards, in television commercials, and in magazine ads. Celebrities ranged from international soccer super star, David Beckham and one of music's #1 hit artists, Taylor Swift, to the caped crusader of Gotham, Batman.

Recently however, the national milk industry has introduced a new slogan to promote milk to consumers. Now when you think of milk, think:

Milk Life

This new slogan, which first showed up near the start of this year is a revamped version of the Got Milk? campaign. Instead of just telling people they should just drink more milk, the new slogan leads more into the health benefits of consuming it. In a way, it answers the question that the old slogan asked. Why should people drink more milk? What is in it for my family and me if we do drink milk?

By drinking milk, you are consuming a wholesome beverage that includes nine essential nutrients that other dairy imitators cannot compete with. These nutrients help build strong bones and teeth and provide a good source of energy for being physically active. Drinking milk is also a great way to refuel after an activity as well. In this chart from Midwestdairy.com, one can see milk is the best choice when compared against other drinks. 

	Milk	Soy (fortified)	Juice (fortified)	Enhanced Water	Sports Drink	Iced Tea	Soft Drink
Calcium	+	+	+
Potassium	+		+
Phosphorus	+
Protein	+	+		+
Vitamin D	+	+	+
Vitamin A	+	+		+
Vitamin B12	+	+			+
Riboflavin	+				+
Niacin (or niacin equivalents)	+			+

The Milk Life campaign is not only promoting milk consumption and speaking about all the good healthy benefits from drinking it, but it is also advocating for The Great American Milk Drive. Partnered with Feeding America, the milk drive allows people to donate a gallon of milk to a food bank. As it states on the Milk Life website, "While milk is one of the top nutritious items requested by food bank clients, it's rarely donated." Millions of people, just in the United States, are missing out on an easy way to get nine essential nutrients. By donating a gallon of milk, you are helping families in your community and supporting the dairy industry. What a great pair! 

In the end, when you consume milk, you are bettering yourself, your community, and dairy farmers. Everyone benefits when you purchase that gallon of milk from the grocery store. Until next time, remember your three servings, have a dairy good day, and go out and "milk life" for all it is worth.

Information located at:

http://milklife.com/

http://www.midwestdairy.com/0t209p213/milk/

http://milklife.com/give

Pictures located at:

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/milk-ads-retired-20-years-milk-moustaches-article-1.1701064

http://blogs.ubc.ca/kpcave/2010/10/11/got-milk/

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/File:Batman_Got_Milk_01.jpg

http://cargocollective.com/samanka/IDENTITY-BRANDING

https://milklife.com/articles/fun/milk-life-1

Recalls for Oasis Brands Inc. Products

About a month ago, the dairy product distributor Oasis Brands Inc. put out a public statement to recall roughly over a dozen of their dairy products. Based in Miami, Florida, the products that were sold were only distributed in the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. The reason for the recall as stated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was due to the fact that the dairy products have the potential to be contaminated with the strain Listeria monocytogenes.  

One of the products in the recall.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, Listeriosis is a serious infection that is caused when a person consumes food that has been contaminated the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The CDC says those who are to be most affected by the Listerosis are primarily pregnant women, newborn babies, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. On the CDC website, it gives a list of possible symptoms for those affected. Those who have it will show typical symptoms of:

• headache
• stiff neck
• confusion
• loss of balance
• convulsions
• fever
• muscle aches

The CDC further states that Listerosis is treatable and curable in a majority of cases when treated with antibiotics. They even state those who have consumed foods with the Listeria bacteria and show none of the symptoms do not need any treatments.

The products being recalled have the expiration dates of July 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. A full list of the dairy products with their batch ID code from Oasis Brands Inc. is provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and as is follows:

Queso Seco Centroamericano (Dry White Cheese) 1Lb	UPC 876593 001874
Queso Seco Olanchano (Dry Cheese) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000840
Queso Seco Hondureno (Dry Cheese) 12oz	UPC 876593 001690
Quesito Casero (Fresh Curd) 12oz	UPC 635349 000406
My Queso (Latin Flavor Cheese) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000406
Queso Cuzcatlan (Salvadorean Flavor Cheese) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000406
Queso para Freir (Cheese for Frying) 12oz	UPC 635349 000758
Queso Fresco (Fresh Cheese) 12oz	UPC 635349 000703
Cuajada en Hoja Queso Casero Hecho a Mano (Fresh Curd) 12oz	UPC 635349 000895
Crema Centroamericana (Soft Blend Dairy Spread) 1Lb	UPC 876593 001898
Mantequilla Hondurena (Honduran Style Cream) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000772
Crema Nica (Grade A Cultured Cream) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000468
HonduCrema Olanchana (Olanchana Style Soft Blend Dairy Spread) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000598
Crema Guatemalteca (Guatemalan Style Cream) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000819
Crema GuateLinda (Guatemalan Style Cream) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000390
Crema Cuzcatlan (Salvadorean Style Cream) 1Lb	UPC 635349 000444

As of right now, the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and all states that have been affected are working together and investigating how the strain got into the products. Oasis Brands has also stopped all production of these products while the investigation is ongoing.

As a consumer of dairy products myself, I like to be informed what is going on with my food just as much as the next person. I'm glad they discovered the origins of the bacteria before anyone else ate the products or became sick. There are still plenty of other dairy food distributors as well in the region not contaminated that can provide people with wholesome dairy products. Well, until next time friends, remember your three servings, and have and dairy good day!

Information located at:
http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/definition.html
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm419283.htm
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/10/recalled-mexican-style-dairy-linked-to-death-3-listeria-illnesses/#.VG7ScPnF-So

Picture located at:
http://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/after-listeria-illnesses-oasis-brands-recalls-dairy-products/#.VG663fnF-So

Social Media in the Dairy World

Social media has become a normal part of our lives the past several decades. A person can barely go through a single day without the mere mention of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or any other of the social media websites on the Internet. And now with the advancement of technology, a person can look up their Facebook or Twitter account in seconds on their phone or mobile tablet. With this availability of the Internet to everyone, it gives dairy farmers a great way to give out information about the dairy industry to people all around the world. One of these awesome social media sites in particular is the Midwest Dairy Association's Facebook page.

The Midwest Dairy Association (MDA) has a lot of positive things going for them on their Facebook page. The page holds a lot of material for readers, but presents it in an easy to navigate manor. The about section does a great job in explaing who the MDA is and gives readers their mission statement in a clear concise manor. This section also gives people a link to another dairy related website in case there are further questions or if they want to learn more about the dairy industry (http://www.dairymakessense.com/). The MDA also adds a link to a different social media site, Pinterest, so people can share information from the Facebook page to a second site.

Another positive thing that the MDA Facebook page does is that it posts numerous articles, stories, and videos that can reach out to people of varying interests. Topics range from different recipes to try at home, stories about some of the dairy farms around the midwest, and what things the dairy industry have been doing lately. They also like to get viewers involved on the page. They sometimes will ask questions from the readers to see what they are thinking about a certain topic. 

One of the things I wish they would post more about is explaining different aspects of what a dairy farm is and what all goes on at a typical dairy farm. Many consumers are still unsure of what actually happens on a dairy whether it is big or small. They want to know the process behind taking care of the cows, the different steps milk takes before getting to the grocery store, and just who the people behind the wholesome product are. The actual homepage of the MDA provides more in depth information than on the Facebook page. I would also recommend the Dairy Farming Today web page. This site does an excellent job as well in explaining what dairy farmers strive for and what their job is.

That's all for now and until next, remember your three servings and have a dairy good day!




Pictures located at:
http://www.midwestdairy.com/0t43p35/logos/
http://www.anglindairy.net/2014/04/no-foolin-dairy-makes-sense.html#.VGQR8vnF-So
http://www.dairyfarmingtoday.org/Pages/Home.aspx

The Dairy Famers Sing "Feedin' a Nation"

Many of you are probably familiar with parodies of popular songs than can be found on YouTube or other common social media websites. The topic of these parodies can range from talking about bad grammar (Word Crimes by Weird Al Yankovic) to what farmers do on a daily basis (I'm Farming and I Grow It by Peterson Farm Bros). A parody I found recently fits perfectly with my blog's main focus which is the dairy industry. The song called "Feedin' a Nation" is a parody to one of the Beach Boys greatest hits, "Good Vibrations". 

The video was made by actual dairy farmers from around the Midwest and was shot on their farms. No actors or actresses from Hollywood were paid large amounts of money to act like dairy farmers and sing the song. The dairy farmers in the video did the parody themselves because they are passionate for what they do 365 days a year. In the video, it does an awesome job with telling people what dairy farmers are all about. 

It shows that dairy farms can come in all shapes and sizes. Some are small and others are larger leading many to think of them as factory owned farms. When in reality, around 97% of all dairy farms in the United States are family owned. The video also does well in speaking about how dairy farmers strive for cow comfort and care. They feed them when hungry, give the cows medicine when they are sick, and give them protection from the weather and the elements. 

 In the parody, "feeding a nation" is one of the key messages that dairy farmers are trying to send to people. All farmers, not just in the dairy industry, partake in providing wholesome food and products for clothing for America and the world. The video also mentions how as dairy farmers, their other duty includes being stewards of the land. The farming practices used today by modern dairy farms conserve more water, use less electricity, and are in general more environmentally friendly now more than ever. 

The only negative thing from the video I would have to say are the less appealing dance moves used throughout the parody, but that is beside the point.

Overall, I thought the video did an excellent job in showing just what dairy farmers are all about. They care for their cows, the land, and most importantly, the consumer. After all, the job of the farmer is to feed a nation. So the next time you see a farmer, thank them for all their hard work. Until next time, I'll end this post with a little farm humor. Remember your three servings and have a dairy good day!

Information located at:

http://www.dairy.org/for-consumers/farming

Picture located at:

http://frabz.com/2yz4

Video can be found at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss2XGxblNZY

The Benefits of Dairy and Mooore!

When do you choose dairy? Is it in the morning before work or school with a bowl of cereal? How about lunchtime with a yogurt for dessert? Or do you sit down for supper with a yummy grilled cheese sandwich? As one can see, any time can be dairy time! Whether you are just getting something to drink or having a full three course meal, implementing dairy into your diet is very simple and anyone can do it. Most importantly, having three servings of dairy each day can be very beneficial to one's health.

The nutrients from dairy products alone are one of the major reasons why you should include this wholesome product into your diet. As the Dairy Council states, some of the vitamins and major minerals found in dairy products that help maintain a healthy body include:

• Vitamin A (For good eyesight, development of body tissues, and normal growth)
• Vitamin D (For healthy bones and teeth)
• Vitamin E (For protecting cell membranes)
• Vitamin K (For blood clotting)
• Vitamin B (Various forms) (For healthy red blood cells, metabolism, cell division, healthy skin, etc.)
• Vitamin C (For structure and maintenance of blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and bone)

• Calcium (For growing and maintaining healthy teeth and bones
• Phosphorus (For bones and teeth, cell membrane structure, tissue growth, and regulation of pH levels in the body)
• Iodine (For production of thyroxine and triiodothyronine in the thyroid which regulates the metabolism rate of the body)
• Magnesium (For skeletal development, muscle contraction, and nerve function)
• Zinc (For fighting infections, wound healing, and sense of taste)
• Potassium (For fluid balance, nerve function, and heart functions)

All these nutrients come together to strengthen bones and teeth, reduce blood pressure, and reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. No wonder milk is called nature's nearly perfect food!

So what do some of the dairy options include? Well, the easiest and best choice is just an 8 ounce glass of low or fat free milk. Cheese, another option, comes in all kinds of varieties. There's cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, Parmesan, blue, Gouda and the list goes on. For those looking for fruity flavors, then yogurt is the treat for them coming in many different fruit varieties including peach, strawberry, and lime. Ice cream, a personal favorite of mine, is also a great source of dairy along with butter. Let's not forget about the creams: heavy whipping cream, whipped cream, sour cream, and cream cheese. The possibilities are endless to what you can make or add with these great dairy products.

To end this post on a yummy note, I am adding links to some tasty recipes that all include at least one or two dairy products in them. I hope you enjoy them and try them out. Happy cooking, remember your three servings, and have a dairy good day!

Breakfast

Croissant French Toast with Fresh Berries

Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Topping


Lunch

Mac and Cheese BLT

Nonna's Meatball Sub

Dinner

Grilled Butter Chicken Pizza

Stampede Centennial Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Information, recipes, and recipe pictures located at:
http://www.dairygoodness.ca/
http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=73
http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=72
http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=71
http://www.nourishinteractive.com/healthy-living/free-nutrition-articles/109-dairy-milk-products

Other pictures located at:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aipl.arsusda.gov%2Fkc%2Fdairy.html&ei=ggNQVIz6EMGryATZvYDADQ&psig=AFQjCNFkyVnpQTPKIp6Vbab1xbzWnp03cg&ust=1414616294863228

http://giphy.com/gifs/breakfast-cute-food-IsSkJaiwBrQxW

http://southwestdairyfarmers.com/ice_cream

http://cheese-r-us.com/cheese-101/

"She's So Skinny": Explaining the Dairy Cow Figure

While at the local county fair and the Minnesota State Fair, many people will come walking by our dairy cows and stop to ask a couple questions about them. "What's their name?"; "How old are they?"; and "What breed are they?" are the typical questions that most people ask. Every once in a while, a person will comment on the physical looks of the dairy cow saying, "She looks so skinny." or "I can see her ribs.". They are concerned that we are not feeding them enough, we are milking them too much,  or that the cows must be sick because they are so thin. This is not the case. Dairy farmers strive everyday to make sure their cows are at their peak health and are fed proper, nutritious feeds. People draw these conclusions because often times, they have just come from seeing the cattle in the beef barn which are more stocky when compared to the tall, angular dairy cow. Other times, the only cows they see represented in the media and books are fatter, bigger built animals. So, in this blog post, I will try to bring to light the reason why dairy cows are "so skinny".

Typical Dairy Cow

Typical Beef Cow

Dog breeds are great analogy to help in clarifying the differences in cattle. There are hundreds of kinds of dogs that are each bred for specific reasons. Greyhounds are skinny looking similarly to dairy cows and are bred for speed and agility. Cattle working dogs on the other hand like the Australian cattle dog are built with more muscle, are a more robust, and are bred for herding activities. Just like dogs are bred for different purposes, so are cows.

 When comparing a typical dairy cow to a typical beef cow, there are quite a few noticeable differences between the two. The biggest and most important difference is that the dairy cow is raised for milk production and the beef cow is raised for meat production. In beef, the calories taken in from their food is converted into muscle and fat reserves. This gives them the bulky, more stocky appearance. In the case of the dairy cow, the calories taken in are converted into milk production. Making milk takes a lot of energy, so instead of having all their calories go to making unneeded fat reserves, it is used almost right away to produce milk. In truth, a cow will consume around 90 pounds of feed and drink as much water as a bathtub full all in one day. Since this food and water is used for energy in the mammary system (udder) of the dairy cow, there is less fat on the dairy cow figure giving her the "thinner", more angular appearance. 

This also goes into why a dairy cow's udder is larger than a beef cow's udder. It is more capacious (bigger) because they are bred to produce larger quantities of milk. On the other hand, while beef produce milk too, they do it on a smaller scale and the milk is mainly used for feeding their young. Another distinct feature are the sizes of the breeds. Dairy cattle are typically taller and longer individuals when compared against beef cattle giving them that more angular presence. Beef are stereotypically shorter and have a more compact which makes them look muscular and bulky.

A dairy show cow

A beef show cow

I hope I helped in clarifying why dairy cattle look different. Just like dogs, cats, and humans, cows come in different forms with various genetic traits that make them who they are. Thanks for reading. Until next time, remember your three servings and have a dairy good day!




Information located at: 

http://dairycarrie.com/2013/06/10/why-are-dairy-cows-skinny/

http://www.albertamilk.com/ask-dairy-farmer/why-are-dairy-cows-so-skinny/
http://www.dairymoos.com/how-much-do-cows-weight/
http://www.agintheclassroom.org/teacherresources/AgMags/Dairy%20Ag%20Mag%20for%20SmartBoard.pdf

Pictures located at:

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/PAT/recs/livestk/recbeef/recbeef.htm

http://farmingamerica.org/2013/04/18/wheres-the-beef-or-where-does-beef-come-from/

http://www.hereford.co.za/show-results/royal-show-pietermaritzburg-2012/
http://www.albertadairycongress.ca/?content/dairy-cows-show-and-sale.html
http://www.jeffersoncountyfairpark.com/fairpark/dairy-barn-facility