- cattle are treated well because the farms have some sort of production guarantee ticket. It is a guarantee that a certain amount of milk will be purchased at a regulated price. so they know they will be paid, and the price will always be fair.
- there is a slowly rotating milking machine, that the cows willingly walk onto, are milked twice a day, and they do their slow chewing, sulky walking
- Farms are NOT allowed to routinely administer antibiotics. All antibiotics on animals are reported immediately. The milk is thrown out. The cows are still milked for production reasons, but the milk is tossed. If antibiotics are found in any of the next testing points, the milk is tossed. If too many doses are given to cows in one location, the farm is investigated. I’m sure this isn’t perfect system – but its a good start!
- milk is tested when it is collected
- it is kept at a regulated temperature
- tested before being added to the farm’s ‘collection’
- tested again before being loaded into transport
- tested again twice before processing at the processing plant
- It is law in Canada that milk be pasteurized and contain vitamin D. Other milk products do NOT have to contain vitamin D.
That’s what I know. There is a lot that I don’t.
You can download the entire booklet of Dairy ‘rules’ in Canada at the National Farm Animal Care Council.
So, for our family, milk is IN. I’m so happy!
Interesting. I would also want to know how they are fed, what they are fed, and if they roam out of doors on pasture.