How To Select A Safe Raw Milk Source?

[WuWei]

What are some questions or concerns that I would want to know about the health of the cows? How would I evaluate the farm and milk practices before buying raw milk? Cows per acre? Pathogen testing? Milk cooling?? Antibiotics? Grain vs. grass? GMO grain?

Would especially love the perspective of anyone who keeps dairy cows for their family.

My friend has done some of this research and we are wanting to write up something for others to know what to look for.  Any suggested references?

thanks,

Pat

[WuWei]

Ok, found this thread: Would you get milk from this farm?

And this one: What would you do in my raw milk situation?

An interesting one: If you have to drink pasteurized milk

And another perspective: Raw Milk vs. Pasteurized Organic Milk 

Raw Milk Questions
 

grass-fed milk that's pasteurized

is there any way to make non raw milk closer to ok?

So I'm wondering about my raw milk

Can you tell me about the safety of raw milk?

Pat

[WuWei]

Found this: "Review: Find Your Safe, Local Raw Milk and Other Real Food, Too!" http://performancewithoutp​ain.com/2011/08/11/review-​find-your-safe-local-raw-m​ilk-and-other-real-food-to​o/

Pat

[Bantams]

I didn't read the links yet, so forgive me if I repeat something...

Testing:

vaccinated for Brucellosis

tested for TB, Johnes (not all do - it's not required)

tested for BLV and Q-fever - optional

Milk - tested for the usual (SCC, coliform, etc)

Feeding:

How many cows/acres?

24/7 access to pasture, or only some parts of the year? (you'd be surprised, in the larger dairies, how many keep their cows in when the grass is nice, since they don't want everything trampled, or for water/stream-health regs). 

How much grain per cow?  What type?

What type of hay?  Silage?

Milking:

Hand or machine milk?  Definitely ask to watch during milking, if you can.

How long have they been milking, and selling milk?

How long does their milk keep?

How is the milk processed (filtered, chilled)?

How is the equipment cleaned?

Any disease issues in the herd, ever?  Mastitis?  Mastitis pops up at some point in virtually every herd - it happens - but ask how they treat it.

Where did their cows come from?  Be very afraid(!) of any auction cows or "rescues".

Really, the best measure of a farm is whether it leaves you with a good impression after visiting - happy, clean cows, a farmer who knows and cares for his animals, meticulous milking and cleaning habits, etc. 

Let me know what ideas I should expand on! 

I've been hand-milking Jersey cows since 2003, and I've visited many dairy farms over the years - both conventional and raw.

[WuWei]

Thank you!

Pat

[Bantams]

That was a very helpful article by Amanda - thank you!

I wish I had remembered these very important details...

Bottling - plastic or glass?  Health concerns aside, I don't even see the point in drinking raw milk that has been bottled in plastic.  To me, it only tastes of plastic and is hardly different from drinking store milk, taste-wise.  I think this is my top priority, besides cleanliness.

Is the milk skimmed?  A lot of the larger raw dairies (and some home dairies) skim some or most of the cream from the milk.  They get away with it because most people these days don't know any better, and aren't aware that real milk should have 1 - 2 pints of cream per gallons.  A half-inch doesn't cut it!

Something else I've noticed is that a lot of small dairies (not licensed) don't label the milk with the date.  They might use a color-code system so they know, but the customer won't.  And they intentionally try to sell the oldest milk to you - not okay with raw milk.