Fuel Your New Year’s Resolution with Protein

By Danielle Sovinski of Winners Drink Milk

Whether your New Year’s resolution is maintaining a regular exercise schedule or starting a new workout routine, protein can benefit your active lifestyle:

• Build more learn muscle. A higher protein diet along with resistance exercise can help build healthy muscles and support weight management.

• Reduce muscle loss during aging. Protein can help preserve muscle as you age.

• Enhance muscle recovery after resistance exercise or weight training.

• If you’re a regular exerciser, consuming high-quality dairy protein may help nourish your muscles after a tough workout.
• If you’re a serious athlete, consuming carbohydrates and high-quality dairy protein           together, after intense exercise, may enhance the replacement of muscle energy stores. The result is a faster recovery in preparation for your next workout.

• Consume protein immediately before exercise or within one hour after exercise for best results. As little as 10 grams of protein has been shown to stimulate muscle growth following exercise.

Consuming approximately 20-30 grams of high-quality protein at each meal can help you build and maintain muscle. Each example below will provide 20 grams of protein or more:

• Eating two, 6-ounce containers of Greek-style yogurt

• Adding 2 ounces of your favorite cheese and a chopped egg to a salad

• Combining approximately 2 ounces of cheese and ½ cup beans to a veggie burrito

• Choosing 3 to 4 ounces of lean beef, pork or poultry

Did you know? Low-fat chocolate milk is a great way to fuel up after a hard workout. A good source of high-quality protein, chocolate milk is packed with nine essential nutrients and can help replenish what the body has lost through sweat. It also has the right carb-to-protein ratio that many athletes look for post-workout. In addition to protein, dairy foods (milk, cheese and yogurt) are important sources of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, D and B12 and riboflavin in the U.S. diet.

We Are Indiana Agriculture: Farming is More Than All Right at All Wright Farms

By Sarah Mahan of This Farm Family's Life

It is hard for Alan Wright of All Wright Farms to put into words the love he has for his family and the wonderful feeling he gets when he works with the animals on their dairy farm.  Alan farms along with his mom, JoAnn, and father, Dan, as well as three of his brothers, Mark, Lon and Vince, in Delaware County.  He also has two other brothers and a sister who choose to work away from the farm. 

“Our farm has been in the family for a very long, long time,” Alan explains.  “We have been farming and milking at our present place since 1933.  Before that we farmed across the road where my parents live now.  We have been milking cows on this farm for over 29,300 days!  That’s twice a day every day!”

The Wrights milk around 180 cows, and they have an additional 15 to 20 dry cows.  Dry cows are cows that are about 8 weeks from calving.  The family farm hasn’t purchased any cows or calves since 1950!  “We raise all our heifers and they come back to be milked in our dairy herd when they calve at 24 months.  We feed out the majority of our bull calves as steers.  We also raise a few dairy goats for 4-H projects for our nieces and nephews.  These are for stress relief.  We enjoy being around them, “Alan says.

The farm is also made up of 1200 acres of soybeans, 1200 acres of corn, 125 acres of winter wheat and 250 acres of alfalfa hay.  “600 acres of the corn we produce is used to feed the cows.  All the hay is for the cattle, and the straw from the wheat harvest is used as bedding for the cows and calves.  We try not to buy any more feed than we have to.  We try to raise it.”

The milk from All Wright Farms is currently processed at either Dannon Yogurt in Minster, Ohio or Nestle in Anderson, Indiana.  The price of the milk stays the same.  Alan explains, “We are paid the same no matter where it goes.  The co-op calls the milk hauler who picks it up at our farm and tells him where to deliver the milk that day or week.  We don’t have any say about the matter.  They market it and find a buyer for our milk.”

Alan also sits on the board for the American Dairy Association of Indiana (ADAI).  “I was asked a few years ago to represent our milk cooperative (the co-op that buys and markets our milk) on the board of directors.  There are 18 board members from different co-ops who sit on the board.  Our job is to make sure the milk in Indiana is promoted in a way that maximum marketing opportunities exist.  We want the moms and dads to get their children doing ‘dairy!’  Each board member must be a dairy farmer producing milk in Indiana.”

Last month Alan represented all the dairy farmers in Indiana when he served as Rookie Milkman during the Indy 500.  Each year, during the greatest spectacle in racing, two board members from ADAI serve as the milkman and rookie each year.  “As the rookie, I got to hand a bottle of ice-cold milk to the winning car owner, Michael Andretti, and the winning crew chief in Victory Lane after the race.  It was a great thrill and humbling experience to represent not only the 1200 dairy farms in Indiana, but also dairy farms throughout the nation as the Rookie Milkman. 

“One of my favorite moments of the event was the chance to ride on the American Dairy Association of Indiana float in the 500 Festival Parade.   Ken Hoeing, who was the Milkman, and I got to wave and hold a bottle of milk for about 300,000 people to see.  It was so fun promoting the one thing that we both lovemilk!  Ken was such a great mentor for me.  He was always there to help get me through interviews and let me know what to expect along the way.  Next year, I will move up to serve as Milkman, and I will get to give the winning driver a bottle of ice-cold milk in Victory Lane.  Another board member will be chosen to be the Rookie.  I hope I can be half as good to the Rookie Milkman next year as Ken was to me,” Al says.

When asked what he wished the general public better understood about dairy farming, Alan said, “I wish they understood how much time and energy we put into keeping our cows and calves healthy and happy.  Each day we spend more time with them than we do our family.  That is why family is so important to me.  My kids still enjoy helping with milking and feeding.  You don’t get up in the middle of the night, 7 days a week to do the morning milking unless you love your animals.  It is not an 8 AM to 3 PM job, but rather a 3 AM to 8 PM job.  Once the love of dairy farming is in your heart, it remains there no matter what happens.  A retired dairy farmer (if there is such a thing) will always be a dairy farmer.”

Follow All Wright Farms on twitter: @AllWrightFarms

A Dairy Good Way to Start Your Day

By Sarah Correll

Did you know that diets that provide 3 servings of dairy a day can actually increase bone mass? Or that dairy product provide potassium, which helps maintain healthy blood pressure? How about that regularly eating three servings a day of dairy is associated with reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes? Get a jumpstart on your health with this dairy breakfast inspiration!

Oatmeal Cottage Cheese Pancakes

A sneaky way to include dairy in your diet.

Greek Breakfast Pockets

Feta, spinach, mushrooms, and sausage combine in a non-traditional breakfast treat.

Peaches and Cream French Toast from Two Maids a Milking

On the sweeter side of life.

If all else fails, grab a yogurt cup, cereal with milk, or a simple glass of milk on your way out the door.

We Are Indiana Agriculture: A Dairy Strong Family Business

By Sarah Mahan of This Farm Family's Life

Tom and LuAnn Troxel own Troxel Dairy Farm in Hanna, Indiana in the northwestern part of the state.  They currently milk 130 cows, mainly Holsteins, raise about 150 younger heifers, and farm about 170 acres of corn that is all used to feed their animals.

Tom’s parents, Phil and Mary Troxel, started the farm that the Troxel family still owns and operates today.  Currently their oldest son, Rudy, works on the farm with Tom and LuAnn, along with one full-time and several part-time employees.  In addition to working on the farm, Tom also has a full-time large animal veterinary practice.  He typically milks every morning, oversees the animal care and much of the general operations of the farm.  LuAnn raises the young calves, manages the farm accounting and payroll, and is the office manager of the veterinary business.  Rudy feeds the cows, milks occasionally, and handles all the breeding decisions on the farm.

LuAnn feels there are several misconceptions about dairy farming.  “Many people are concerned about antibiotics in their food.  They sometimes think that their milk contains antibiotics, but it does not,” LuAnn explains. “Dairy farmers have many rules they must comply with when it comes to using antibiotics in animals intended for food or milk.  There are certain antibiotics that cannot be used at all.  Every dairy farmer uses a veterinarian to give oversight to antibiotic uses on their farms.  In addition, every single tank of milk is tested for antibiotic residues, and it must test negative before the milk can be unloaded to be processed at a dairy plant.  There are no exceptions.”  For more information visit here. 

The Troxels go to great lengths to make sure their cows are comfortable.  Their cows are bedded weekly with fresh mason sand. The animals also have access to automatic cow brushes where they are able to groom themselves. Curtains on barn openings curtail the wind during the winter months and they, when removed, allow fresh air to flow throughout the barns during warmer months.

The milk from Troxel farm is marketed through Foremost Farms USA and is often processed at Dean Foods in Rochester, Indiana.  “Most people don’t realize how quickly milk gets from our farms to the store.  Often, our milk is available for sale in the grocery store in only two days from the time it leaves our farm!  Also, there is a code on every gallon of milk, such as 18-1018”, LuAnn explains.  “The 18 tells us that the gallon of milk is from a dairy processing plant in Indiana, and most likely came from a cow in Indiana.”  For more information about where your milk is processed visit here. 

LuAnn says many difficult and rewarding elements are part of dairy farming.  “One of the most rewarding things is the opportunity to work together with our family members and have flexibility throughout our daily work.  Of course, chore times aren’t very flexible.But, other than milking and feeding, there is a great variety of work and detail and there’s always something interesting going on at the farm!  As a result of the difficult winter we just experienced, I would say that weather is often a very difficult challenge.  We can’t change the weather, but we can try to continually improve systems on our farm to deal with inclement weather.”

LuAnn is very passionate about the job they do at Troxel Dairy Farm.  “We are in the business of producing milk from our cows.  In order for a cow to ever get milk in her udder, she first must give birth to a baby calf.  So, much of the work on our farm is related to our cows getting pregnant, caring for pregnant animals,  delivering healthy baby calves, caring for baby calves, and supporting the lactating cow with plenty of comfort and fresh food and water.  It is our privilege to provide our world with high-quality nutritious milk and dairy products!”

How Green is My Dairy?

By Deb Osza of Winners Drink Milk

What do Shamrock shakes, Derby Sage cheese and brightly colored smoothies that include spinach have in common?  They are green.  It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and we celebrate all things green. Did you know that dairy is green and getting greener? 

Dairy Farmers are the world's first recyclers.  Cows play a major recycling role as well.  They consume food we can't, turn it into food we can and add back food for the soil.  Click here to watch a brief video about dairy and sustainability.

Not only has dairy reduced its carbon footprint, farmers are finding ways to produce energy.  When you're looking to purchase 'green' products, pick up a gallon of milk.  It's green and getting greener.  

Smashing, Smushing, Squishing- It’s All In The Bag

By Michelle Plummer of Winners Drink Milk

Cooking is a challenge, there is the shopping, chopping, assembling and cleanup-that is always the problem...cleaning up.

I have been using resealable bags for a long time for making meal time easier.  Resealable bags can be your best kitchen tool!  They are great to use as a way to smash crumbs, a mixing bowl, a pastry bag, a serving dish; the ideas are endless.

I want to share with you my Three S’s Pie (Peanut butter Chocolate Silk Pie) Resealable bags are wonderful for Smashing or making quick cracker crumbs.

 

Smushing is a highly technical term for mixing and a great way to gets kids involved in cooking, food in progress always looks a bit icky!

 

Squishing is the finale of the resealable bag. Using the bag as a quick pastry bag, you can look like a pastry chef by the way you cut the tip of the bag. To make it into a star at the tip, cut it 2 ways. For a shell tip and for the finishing results, snip a larger hole in the bag.

  

 

Pie making can be fun for all ages!

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Silk Pie

Ingredients

• 1 graham cracker pie shell (or make your own with cracker crumbs)
• Large package instant chocolate pudding
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp. instant coffee
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 container whipped cream

Instructions

1. In large resealable bag add pudding mix, milk, vanilla, peanut butter and mix well. 
2. Add container of whipped cream and gently combine the pudding mixture and topping. 
3. Squish into pie crust; refrigerate for 2 hours. 
4. Using a second resealable bag place whipped cream into bag and pipe dollops on top of pie.

Dairy Healthy Diet

By Sarah Correll

We all know that dairy products are a part of a healthy, balanced diet. What makes them so great?

 Protein

 

Dairy products provide protein to help build and repair muscle. Chocolate milk provides the perfect combination of carbs and protein for athletes.

Vitamin D

 

The vitamin D in milk helps us absorb calcium and strengthen bones. Vitamin D is included in all types of milk, not just whole.

Potassium

 

Potassium helps us maintain normal blood pressure. Consuming dairy products is associated with a lower risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Fat

Milk and milk products come in a variety of fat options. Whole milk is 3.25% fat (96.75% fat free), 2% milk is 2% fat (98% fat free), 1% milk is 1% fat (99% fat free), and skim milk is 100% fat free.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus helps our bodies generate energy.

Vitamin A

Dairy products are a good source of vitamin A, the vitamin that helps maintain normal vision and skin.

Calcium

 

Important for strong bones and teeth, calcium is a major nutrient found in dairy.

Be sure to include three or more dairy products (such as these Cheesy Chicken Chalupas from Two Maids a Milking) in your diet every day, and learn more about dairy nutrition and the farmers who care for the cows here!

Pop In for a Dairy Delicious Meal

Cheese sculptures, great food, parades, and cooking demonstrations are adding up to a great fair for Indiana dairy farmers!

The Cheese Lady finishes her 2012 sculpture

Sarah Kaufmann’s  artistic cheese creations have become an integral part of the Indiana State Fair. She’s back again this year, and her huge cheese creation will highlight the importance of childhood nutrition and starting your day with an energizing breakfast, as well as dairy farmers’ commitment to kids’ wellness and nutrition. You can watch her work in the DuPont Food Pavilion and see the finished product after the official unveiling.

 While you’re in the DuPont Food Pavilion, check out the food demonstrations on the Red Gold Culinary Stage! Dairy experts are sharing their knowledge on the stage at 2:00 each day. Join them to learn new recipes that incorporated nutritious dairy products!

The Daily Parade adds even more fun to the state fair’s daily activities. Each day at 6:00 the parade will circle the main road at the state fair. Look for the dairy float in the line-up!

A day at the fair can leave you hungry, and the Dairy Bar is a longstanding favorite for food at the fair. If you’re looking for a light, healthy snack, try their apple slices or cottage cheese! At the fair early? They serve breakfast until 10:00 each morning. They’re premiering the Blue Moo this year. It’s a grilled American and bleu cheese sandwich on sourdough bread. 

And don’t worry- they’re still serving all your favorite fair-time dairy delights: scrumptious grilled cheese sandwiches, creamy milkshakes, monster ice cream cones, regular and flavored milk, breakfast sandwiches and more.

Sweet Facts About Ice Cream

By Jenni of Winners Drink Milk

July is National Ice Cream Month and Indiana has every right to celebrate. Ice Cream Month was designated by Ronald Reagan in 1984. The Hoosier State is ranked second in production of regular and low-fat ice cream.  Not only does that 'sweeten up' the state but that contributes a signficant about to the State's economy and provides jobs. Who doesn't love trivia? Lets celebrate Ice Cream Month with fun facts about America's favorite treat. 

Did you know....

• It takes about 50 licks to finish one scoop of ice cream.
• An average dairy cow can produce enough milk in her lifetime to make a little over 9,000 gallons of ice cream
•  America's favorite flavors are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, chocolate chip and butter pecan.
• It takes about 12 pounds of milk to make 1 gallon of ice cream.
• More than 90% of American families purchase ice cream.
• The U.S. enjoys an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person, per year, more than any other country.
• One of the most important ingredients in ice cream is air. Without it, ice cream would be as hard as a rock.

The skinny on the ice cream....

• In the U.S., all ice cream needs to have a minimum of 10% milk fat if it is to be labeled "ice cream". 
• This includes custard based (French Style) ice creams.
• Reduced fat, has at least 25% less total fat than regular ice cream.
• Light, has at least 50% less fat and 33% fewer calories than regular.
• Low-fat, can't have more than 3 grams of fat per serving.
• Nonfat, has less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.

Ice cream is good for you... Ice cream provides great nutrition. Its base ingredient is milk, which is loaded with healthy vitamins and minerals. It is a source of calcium that satisfies your sweet tooth and helps build strong bones. It is also great paired with nutrient rich foods such as strawberries, bananas and nuts.

Dairy Adventures of an Intern

By Michelle Mendoza, Ball State Dietetic Intern 

Summer is just kicking off and what a better way to celebrate summer, then to celebrate June Dairy Month with a cool, refreshing serving of your favorite ice cream. I think that there are fun and easy ways to get your three servings of dairy into your regular diet every day. Three easy ways to get dairy products into your diet are the standard milk, cheese and yogurt.

It’s starting to heat up outside so I think that it’s time to get creative and mix up your standard favorites. An easy way to keep cool this summer could be a homemade fruit yogurt pop. Mix in your favorite summer fruits and yogurt in a blender and put into an ice cube tray and now you have fun frozen yogurt pop treats.

If you want to get adventurous then you could try blending up a kale smoothie for a nutrient rich breakfast or snack. You will need fresh kale, flax seeds, non-fat plain Greek yogurt, berries (any kind), milk and a banana. Blend all these ingredients together and add ice if desired. You can now enjoy a fun green nutritious summer kale smoothie. This is a great way to get protein, vegetables, grains, fruits and dairy into your diet. If you want to try another way to eat cheese instead of string cheese, you could sprinkle some cinnamon over freshly sliced apples and complement them with low-fat cottage cheese. Together this will help maintain your blood sugar levels since it has the protein from the cheese and the carbohydrates from your fruit. This summer try to spice up your life and snacks with a little help from the dairy fairy.

I think that it is really important to support your local dairy farmers and a simple way to do that is to go to the grocery store and buy milk. From my time at the dairy council, I’ve learned that the milk you bought in the grocery store today was in a cow only 2 days ago. These dairy farmers work really hard to get you a fresh, tasty product from the farm to your table in no time. The local dairy farmers usually sell their milk to a milk company and they choose the company based on the best deal they can get for their product. If you are a Hoosier and you haven’t been to your local dairy farm, I highly encourage getting in touch with the nearest dairy farm and taking a tour. You will be amazed with how much work is put into these farms. As a dietetic intern I think that it is really fascinating to see both sides of the food industry. I’ve gotten to experience food from the nutrition side and now I have had the opportunity to see where the food comes from and the process that it goes through before coming to your grocery store. Dairy is a very important component of nutrition by providing 9 essential nutrients. By simply including dairy into your daily routine three times every day this June you are now celebrating June Dairy Month at your home!

Michelle Mendoza is from Phoenix, Arizona and is a student at Ball State. Her first dietetic internship rotation was with the Indiana Dairy Council. She previously spent her time working with dialysis patients and kidney outreach. After a few weeks at the Dairy Council, she has developed a greater appreciation for dairy farmers and the dairy industry.

Winners Drink Milk at the Indy 500

By Mary of Winners Drink Milk

In my head right now I’m hearing “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, except for all the references to activities associated with the winter holidays.  But much like Christmas, there is a lot of anticipation, and preparations are being made for family and friends to visit for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500.

   

It didn’t use to be this way.  Growing up in southern Illinois, Dad always had the race on TV, so I was well aware of it.  Likewise, Dad often had golf on TV, but that didn’t turn me into a golfer.  However, moving to Indianapolis within five miles of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a step in the right direction.  Then working for the American Dairy Association of Indiana really moved the needle!  It has really been an incredible experience being involved, even slightly, with the tradition of the Drink of Milk in Victory Circle. 

This tradition began with a simple request.When Louis Meyer, the first three-time winner, won his second Indy 500 in 1933, he asked for a cold glass of buttermilk to quench his thirst. Three years later, Louis repeated the win and was photographed drinking his buttermilk. For the next two decades, the Milk Foundation presented milk to race winners off and on. But in 1956, Tony Hulman made the Bottle of Milk a permanent part of the Victory Lane (now Circle) celebration.

Writer Pete McEntegart’s “The 10 Spot” on si.com -the Sports Illustrated web site – declared the Indy 500 to be the “Sports World’s Coolest Prize”. That’s some tradition, isn’t it?

Did you know that there are others in Victory Circle who also get a bottle of milk?  Not only is the winning driver handed a bottle of milk; the winning team owner and the winning chief mechanic are also recipients of their own commemorative bottles.  And who is handing out those bottles?  Two Indiana dairy farmers! 

A new board member from Milk Promotion Services of Indiana (the parent company of the Dairy & Nutrition Council and the American Dairy Association of Indiana) is chosen each year by his/her peers to represent all of Indian’s dairy farmers in Victory Circle. The first year, the board member serves as the “rookie milkman” and the second year as the “veteran”. It’s an honor that is taken quite seriously.  The milkmen don’t just show up on race day and that’s that. No, there is a fair amount of work that goes on before the big day. Media training, interviews, and bottle hand-off practice, to name a few. This is not something that’s generally a part of life on a dairy farm!

   

So this year when you watch the Victory Circle activities, look for the two men in cow-spotted hats.  You’ll see that, in fact, Winners Drink Milk!

Fruity Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

By Dianne Ruyack of Winners Drink Milk

Ladies and gentlemen, start your blenders: Smoothies make a quick, easy and healthy meal, snack or dessert. Smoothies are all the rage because they are a simple (and delicious!) way to bump up your daily intake of powerhouse fruits and veggies. Full of antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals, they are the perfect way to sneak a whole lot of goodness into your family diet.You can use these recipes to make some yummy kid-friendly smoothies, or concoct your own tasty delights with what you have on hand at home.

It's not easy getting kids excited about fruit and vegetables. That's where smoothie recipes for kids come into play. If you present them a smoothie as something different and give fruits and vegetables a a new name (kid's smoothies) they are more likely to consume these foods.These bright, colorful, and delicious drinks will get kids to consume something healthy in a new and exciting way. Try starting your day with yummy smoothies.  Be creative and let the kids vote for their favorite!

Fruity Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie

Rating: 5

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 2

Serving Size: 1 cup

Creamy and fruity breakfast in a glass and on the go!

Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 banana, broken into chunks
14 frozen strawberries, 1 cup frozen blueberries, peaches, raspberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
Instructions

In a blender, combine milk, oats, banana and strawberries. Add vanilla and sugar if desired. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

For more Smoothie Recipes, check out Allrecipes.com.

Four Seasons of Comfy Cows

By Jackie of Winners Drink Milk

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stops the postal service from doing their job--add Sundays, federal holidays, and looming apocalypses to the list and then it would apply to dairy farmers, too!

Dairy farming happens in all weather and all climates, from snowy Wisconsin to sunny California. Here in Indiana (the if-you-don't-like-the-weather-wait-5-minutes state), our dairy farmers are gearing up to see to their cows' comfort as winter changes to spring.

March goes in like a lion and out like a lamb, they say, so farmers have to be prepared to change strategies quickly to keep cows warm when it's cold (like today) and cool when it's hot.

Cold winters may make you and me bundle up in mittens, scarves and coats, but even fairly cold temperatures aren't that much of a problem for an adult dairy cow. If she's in a draft-free barn, with clean, dry bedding, and a group of friends, she's pretty toasty.

 Cows generate a lot of body heat, so an enclosed barn  or even a pasture lean-to with a group of cows in it will be a lot warmer than the howling blizzard outside. Cows also have a big, powerful stomach and are constantly digesting their food. Ever notice that you feel warmer after a bite to eat? Cows do too, only they eat pretty much all the time, so their stomach is like a personal space heater.

 

The cold does pose a big challenge to baby calves, though. These youngsters don't have a layer of fat to protect them and since they are only drinking milk and not eating solid food, their stomach doesn't warm them up that much. 

In the winter, calves are bedded down with a lot of clean straw so they can snuggle down in and stay warm. Calves are either housed in groups in a draft-free barn so they can huddle together or have their own personal area so they are completely protected from any wind or draft. 

In very cold climates, calves even wear little coats, similar to a horse's blanket or a Paris-Hilton-style dog sweater, to stay extra warm! 

The warmer months may be a little easier on the calves, but that's when the mama cows need a lot of attention. By the time you would be comfortable standing outside in a T-shirt, it's already "hot" to a cow--she's using energy cooling herself down. 

The picture at the top shows a barn opened up for the summer time, with fans to circulate air. Farmers install fans and even misters to keep cows cool, and always have a supply of fresh water available so cows can take a refreshing drink. So whether March brings snowstorms, sunshine or anything in between, Indiana dairy farmers are prepared to keep their cows comfortable.

Nourishing the Nourishers: What Do Dairy Cows Eat?

By Jackie of Winners Drink Milk

Since it's National Nutrition Month, it's a good time to think about how what you are putting on your plate. However, good nutrition isn't just important for humans--it's also a huge part of keeping a dairy cow happy, sassy and healthy. Feeding a dairy cow isn't an accident--she doesn't just wander around a farm, eating whatever's laying around before sauntering into the milking parlor. Indiana has grazing and non-grazing dairies and both forms pay a great deal of attention of what is going in their cows' mouths. Grazing dairies seed and care for their pastures to make sure cows are getting good quality forage to eat, as well as rotating cows on and off pastures so the grass has time to rest and regrow after being munched on. Many grazing dairies will also supplement the cows' diets during winter with hay or grain.

   

Non-grazing dairies often feed something called a "total mixed ration" or TMR. This ration could contain grassy forages, grains, and vitamin and mineral supplements. The TMR is a way to make sure cows eat all the tasty bits, like the silage and ground corn, while still getting the vitamins and minerals she needs. It's basically like a casserole for cows and works the same way feeding green bean casserole to kids does--it tastes good and is all mixed together so little Sally eats her greens without really realizing it. So what's actually in the TMR? The specific ingredients vary from farm to farm, just like the dinner menu would vary from family to family but common ingredients include:

• Corn silage--a chopped up corn plant
• Hayledge--chopped and fermented hay
• Soybean meal--ground up soybeans
• Corn--corn kernels, either whole, ground or fermented
• Distiller's grains--essentially leftover corn, a byproduct of ethanol production
• Brewer's grains--leftover malt grains from beer production
• Wheatledge--chopped and fermented wheat
• Cotton seed--the seed leftover once the cotton fibers have been removed, a byproduct of cotton textile production
• Beet pulp--a byproduct of manufacturing sugar from sugar beets
• Vitamin and mineral supplements

There's an old saying that "an army marches on its stomach" and this holds true to dairy farming, too--a cow produces only as much milk as her diet allows. That's why farmers spend so much time crafting, mixing, feeding, testing and re-imagining their cows' diets.

Friend a Farmer

By Jackie Barber of Winners Drink Milk

Do you have any dairy farmers in your circle of friends? Today could be the day to change that. In honor of National Make a Friend Day (earlier this week), why not befriend a dairy farmer? Or to make it a bit simpler, why not “friend” a farmer on Facebook or follow their Twitter feed or blog?

Many dairy farmers are reaching out to new friends on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. The farmer’s friends and followers can  experience life on a dairy farm from the adorable, like the birth of a new calf, to the truly miraculous, like people actually waking up for a 3 a.m. milking. Troxel Dairy Farm shared a picture of their triplet (triplet!!) calves on Facebook. 

Other Indiana dairies like Willemsen Dairy and New Generation Dairy share pictures and information about their cows and life on a dairy farm.

On Twitter, AllWrightFarms and SchwoeppeDairy tweet about the challenges of caring for dairy cows on cold winter mornings and the care farmers put into producing healthy, wholesome milk.

The Dairy Mom's blog tells stories from life on the farm and can answer some FAQs about dairy farming. 

Two Maids a Milking offers recipes and down-home cooking tips from two dairy farming women, but also explains how dairy cows are a part of the farm family.  You can also see that dairy farmers deal with the same everyday problems—like what to cook for dinner or how to convince a kid he needs to wear a winter coat to school. 

Indiana’s dairy farms are a true family affair, with many farmers working alongside brothers, sisters, parents, in laws, and children. When you get to know a farmer, you’ll also witness first-hand that farmer’s commitment to animal care, human nutrition, and environmental responsibility. Connecting with a farmer online can be a great opportunity to arrange a farm tour and actually meet some dairy cows! So, take your coat off and stay awhile, you're part of the dairy family now!

Meet the Kuehnerts

By Sarah Mahan of This Farm Family's Life

Kuehnert Dairy Farm is a fifth generation dairy located in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  "There are currently four generations at the farm on a daily basis," according to Sarah Kuehnert.  Her husband, Nathan and his brother Andrew make up the fifth generation.  Their children, Allie, 4 and Bryar, 2 are the potential sixth generation to carry on the "dairying legacy." 

Nathan's Grandfather Melvin is at the farm every day and is their "do anything man".  He performs daily tasks like driving tractors and repairing equipment.  However, his favorite job is giving is great-grandchildren a ride on his ATV.  Sarah states,   "My father-in-law Alan and Nathan's uncle, Stan manage all the daily functions on the dairy from feeding the cows to harvesting the crops.  My mother-in-law Cindy feeds all the baby calves every day, with the help of myself, sister-in-law Brittany, and Allie and Bryar, of course!  My husband's main duty is helping to keep the cows healthy and happy by providing the proper care and administering the right medications.  My brother-in-law, Andrew, is in charge of the nutrition, ensuring that the cows get a balanced diet every single day.  We are also very lucky to have some young men who work with us that are like family: Kyle Walters, Luke Hesterman, Colten Brown, and Austin Bridgewater."

The Kuehnerts currently milk 270 registered Holsteins with 330 heifers under two years of age.  They are bottle feeding 30 heifer calves less than two months of age.  A heifer is a young cow that has not yet given birth.  They also farm a total of 850 acres of corn, alfalfa, soybeans, and rye.  The majority of the crops they produce go to feeding the cows.  An adult cow will consume up to 90 pounds of feed per day and drink up to 30-50 gallons of water a day.

As a dairy farmer, Registered Dietitian, and a mother, Sarah knows how important it is to get at least three servings of dairy every day.  "It all starts with milk," she explains.  "We drink it.  We use it as an ingredient and we make a lot of other products from it.  I believe it is important for people of all ages to know the importance of milk in their daily lives.  One eight ounce glass of milk provides these minimum daily allowances: 30% calcium, 25% vitamin D, 24% Riboflavin, 16% protein, 13% vitamin B12, 11% Potassium, 10% vitamin A, and 10% Niacin.  That's just one 8-ounce glass!  Milk is not just a cool, nutritious, thirst-quenching drink; it is truly one of nature's purest gifts."

When asked to share a story about her kids on the farm Sarah explained, "Dairy farming is a full seven day, 100 hour work week.  The cows must always have fresh feed in front of them, clean and dry bedding, and be milked three times a day here at Kuehnert Dairy.  With this in mind, it is hard to take a vacation.  Like most families, we enjoy time at the lake, but find it difficult to make it to the lake, so we brought the lake to us.  We built a two and a half acre pond that we call Lake Kuehnert!  During the summer days, we make time to spend a couple hours together with the entire family fishing, boating or swimming in our pond.  Lake Kuehnert has helped to make some of our most enjoyable times for my children and creates wonderful memories for generations to cherish."

"Dairy farmers know the future depends on what we do today, so we are devoted to producing wholesome, nutritious milk as well as compassionate animal care and sound environmental stewardship.   With the current drought conditions in Indiana, we are facing a huge challenge to produce enough feed for our cows.  The dry conditions are not only affecting the beauty of your lawns, flowers, and landscaping, but it is affecting our ability to operate our family's dairy operation. We work diligently every day to make wise business decisions so that we can continue to produce our world with food however; this occupation of farming depends highly on the weather.  We keep our faith in God and know that he will provide. Here at Kuehnert Dairy we are very privileged to have four generations working together daily to produce you with nature's most perfect food, milk!  We take great pride in the work we do to provide you with the purest, most high quality, and nutritious milk that we can. This is all possible by maintaining a healthy, happy cow."