Different Farm, Different Taste
We hear it all the time :
“Your milk is the BEST we’ve ever had in the area”
So why is this?
I can’t tell ya exactly…
But what I can tell you is that there are several factors come into play when it comes to the taste of raw milk.
Just like eggs, beef, or vegetables taste different depending on the farm, milk carries the fingerprint of the cows, the pasture, and the care behind it.
Breed -
Holstien - bred for production have less butterfat (cream)
Jersey (what we mainly have) - higher butterfat, usually very rich milk
Guernsey - Rich, golden color due to more beta carotene, high butterfat
Brown Swiss - good protein structure for making cheese, mild/sweet tasting milk
There’s a few other breeds but these are most common
No two cows even in the same breed category, produce the same milk
Cow Health -
Milking cows for human consumption, cows must be healthy.
No mastitis (producers have tools to check for this)
No illnesses
Beautiful coats
Cows are visibly eating & ruminating well and looking good
A balanced diet is a must for the mommas
Housing -
Clean dry bedding is a must!
Bacteria lives in the ground naturally so it’s very important for the girls to have a nice, clean, dry place to rest and ruminate while they’re out being a cow for 23 hours of the day.
Pasture is nice but for me personally, we don’t have a pasture built yet, so a dry lot, managed properly, works just fine too! - proof is in the pudding here!
Milk Handling -
This is a big topic! Milk handling is very important when it comes to bringing out the true flavor and quality of milk the breeds of cows produce.
Udder Preparation - cleaning the cow well and using disinfectant on the teats before milking and being sure to discard no less than 4 squirts from each teat to flush out any bacteria they may have in their teat canal
Filtering the milk right away
Cooling the milk down to 36* within 45 minutes is key
Clean, sanitized glass bottles play a huge roll in milk quality. From teat to jar everything can be perfect but a dirty jar will spoil milk faster than anything!
Less time you open a jar the fresher it’ll stay
Less air space in the jar the fresher it’ll stay also!
Milking Machines -
Machines and all equipment that touches the milk must be cleaned, sanitized and dried properly after each milking.
Cow’s diet -
What the cows eat plays another big role in how they produce milk and the make up of the milk. Pasture based vs silage based diets are vastly different usually.
Seasons -
We can see when it’s going to rain or it’s been cold, the cows produce more cream. Which is nature. They’re preparing their calves body for the cold or being wet if they were out in the wild or a pasture.
Brix level -
Brix measures the percentage of mainly sugars in milk. This means a richer, creamier milk and it tastes better (which we hear constantly).
Our levels are the best our expert customer has seen! This I am pretty proud of!
So in conclusion, different tasting milk isn’t a problem unless the milk doesn’t last longer than a suggested 10 days from the bottle date. Some people have more sensitive pallets and notice a change in taste a day or two sooner, but it should stay fresh and never go sour quickly!
With over 15 years in the dairy cow industry, I take great pride in knowing how to care for our girls properly, having the resources and connections behind me to support areas where I may need extra expertise, and continually working to produce the highest-quality milk possible for your family’s table.
