Why Kids Need Dairy In Their Diet!

Guest Post By DeDe Hausmann of Winners Drink Milk

I'm so glad there are research scientists in the field of dairy nutrition that have produced studies that back up the need for dairy in one's diet, including for little ones. Before joining the Indiana dairy industry, I was a Family & Consumer Science teacher and for my nutrition classes I found scientific proven studies to tout the benefit of dairy (and the other four food groups) in everyone's diets.

It's all about bioavailability! The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) said in Building Strong Bones: Calcium Information for Health Care Providers in 2006 (for the Milk Matters Campaign), "Bioavailability, the degree to which the intestinal system absorbs calcium, depends on the overall level of calcium in a food and the type of food being consumed. Calcium in foods such as milk and milk products is highly bioavailable, meaning it is easily absorbed...However, calcium in foods high in Oxalic Acid (such as spinach, sweet potatoes, and beans) or phytic acid (such as unleavened bread, raw beans, seeds, and nuts) may be poorly absorbed. Oxalics are strong inhibitors of calcium." Connie Weaver, PhD, and a Distinguished Professor of Food & Nutrition at Purdue University, also backs up that conclusion with many calcium studies. Google her work and see what she has to say!

As for kids, I found info supplied via Parents Magazine.  Cow's milk isn't easily digested well by babies under 1 year and from 1- 2 years of age, Frank Greer, M.D., past chairman of the American Academy of Pediatric's Committee on Nutrition, stated that whole milk is a necessity. Little ones need the fat in whole milk for nerve and brain development. But if a child is gaining weight too quickly for his height, pediatricians normally suggest switching to 1 or 2% fat level milk. At age 2, kids can drink 1% or 2% milk and will get the full nutrient package of whole milk, with less fat.

Serving-wise, kids from ages 1-4 need 2-8 oz servings of milk or yogurt or 1.5 oz. of cheese (6 dice-sized cubes) daily; kids between 4 and 8 need 2-3 servings daily of dairy. If they don't like white milk, go for flavored milk. The minimal sugar added is off-set by the 9 essential nutrients supplied.

Milk and dairy products are the number one source of calcium and many are fortified with Vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium in the body. Plus, dairy products contain other essential nutrients as in protein, phosphorus, vitamins A and some B vitamins- again, 9 essential nutrients in all!

So do kids need dairy in their diets? Yes they do and there's much researched-based information to back that up.  Got milk for kids?  YES!

A Chip Off the Old Block

By Sarah Correll

While I’ve never needed an excuse to eat chocolate, they’ve given us one.  It’s National Chocolate Chip Day! Let's see what some of the Indiana bloggers over at Real Farmwives of America and Friends are baking up.

In honor of this great idea of a holiday, why not start the day with some of Amy over at A Latte with Ott, A’s Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins?

 And maybe some Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake for dessert?

 This Chocolate Chip Pie from Megan at Gal in the Middle also looks fantastic!

Or, if you’re more of a chocolate chip purist, Amy at Two Maids a Milking has a great cookie recipe!

No matter which recipe you choose to celebrate National Chocolate Chip Day with, there’s nothing better to pair it with than a glass of ice cold milk!  Enjoy!

What Dairy Farmers Want You to Know About Dairy Farming

By Kimmi Devaney of American Dairy Association of Indiana, Inc.

 “Few other occupations require the passion and commitment that dairy farming does.  Time management and dedicated best management practices are essential for a sound and efficient operation. Managing an operation with enough scale to allow for individual time away for family members is critical for personal family involvement. However, a dairy quickly becomes a family venture as it allows for family members of all ages to be involved at a level that their age and development provides. It's easy to see why dairy farms are nearly all family farms because of the close ties they bring to families.” –Dave Forgey, Logansport, Indiana

“Dairy farmers work hard to make sure the animals are well taken care of and as a result produce nutritious dairy products for consumers.  We also strive to send a safe product to the consumer.  We love our animals!  Without them we would not be where we are today.  They give us a reason to get up every day and make sure they are healthy, fed right, and properly managed, so we can keep being a part of such a wonderful industry!” –Abbie Herr, Kendallville, Indiana

“I want the general public to realize the commitment we as dairy farmers have made to produce a safe, quality product in a responsible manner.” –Kerry Estes, Fountaintown, Indiana

“I want people to think about how hard the farmers work to make milk - and to remember that what your family drinks is the same yummy product that I am feeding to my children. I want them to come and visit to see how the cows have it better than me most days!” –Susan Troyer, Goshen, Indiana

“Nearly every activity that we do on the dairy is centered around one common goal:  To make the cows lives a little more comfortable.  We help to achieve this level of comfort in many ways, by providing:  a fresh balanced diet of hay, corn, vitamins and minerals every single day, fresh clean water to drink, a meticulously groomed bed of sand to sleep on, big fans to keep air fresh and cool, and a water sprinkler shower on hot days.” –Nathan Kuehnert, Fort Wayne, Indiana

Have You Met the Herrs?

By Kimmi Devaney of Winners Drink Milk

Steve & Abbie Herr

Dairy Farmers

Kendallville, Indiana

Why did you go into the dairy business?

            Steve is a 4th generation dairy farmer in his family.  He wanted to continue the legacy and likes the rewarding feel you get from being a dairy farmer.  David and Mary, Steve's parents, both grew up on farms and thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the agriculture community.  Dennis worked with his father, Emmert, until David graduated.  They then incorporated the farm in 1972.  It doesn't hurt that we all LOVE cows either!!

How does your family ensure your cows stay comfortable?

            Our cows have sand bedded freestalls.  Sand bedding is cooler and the cows love it!  During the summer the cows have sprinklers and fans in each pen. This allows them to stay cooler especially on those HOT summer days!  We also have a few pens that have cow brushes.  The cows love using them to get those itches that can't be scratched, and we love watching them use the brushes.

How many generations are currently working on your farm?

            There are 2 generations working on the farm.  David, Mary, and Dennis are the 3rd generation.  David does all the crop work and custom chopping for other dairy farmers in the community.  Mary is the bookkeeper for the farm.  Dennis is semi-retired and helps where ever it is needed.  Steve and Abbie are the 4th generation.  Steve is the herdsman and manages all of the employees.  Abbie is the heifer manager.  For the most part, we all know how to do all the jobs, so if an employee has an emergency we can fill in.

What do you love most about being in the dairy industry?

            We love being a part of something that is so vital to the general public.  We love that we get to work with animals!  We are now becoming more involved in helping put a positive image on the dairy industry for the consumers.  Being involved in such a rewarding industry gives you a great sense of pride!

What do you want the general public to know about dairy farming?

            Dairy farmers work hard to make sure the animals are well taken care of and as a result produce nutritious dairy products for consumers.  We also strive to send a safe product to the consumer.  We love our animals! Without them we would not be where we are today.  They give us a reason to get up every day and make sure they are healthy, fed right, and properly managed, so we can keep being a part of such a wonderful industry!

Tis the Season for Cookies!

Guest Post by Cris of  The Real Farmwives of America and Friends and GOODEness Gracious

Dear Reader-
I am so excited to share with you what my friends and I have been baking up in our kitchens over at The Real Farmwives of America and Friends. It is cookie time and we have been holding a virtual cookie exchange and sharing all the recipes and step by step instructions with our readers!

So far, you will find recipes to such yummy delights such as:

Tasty Cookie Pops from Cris at GOODEness Gracious 

Graham No-Bake Cookies from Miss Heather at 3 Kids and Lots of Pigs

3-2-1 Lemon Cookies from Miss Marybeth at Alarm Clock Wars

Granny's Chocolate Fudge Cookies from Miss Meggie of Hoosier Farm Babe

Black Bottom Banana Bars from Miss Jeanette of FenceRow to FenceRow

And, if that doesn't soothe your sweet tooth, on Tuesday Miss Liz of 2 Maids a Milking will be hosting a cookie recipe link up on our RFOA blog where bloggers across the blogosphere will be linking up their best cookie recipes!

So grab a big glass a milk and let us know what's your favorite cookie?

5 Ways Farmers Care for their Animals

By Kimmi Devaney of Winners Drink Milk

The dairy industry is near and dear to my heart, so I know firsthand the dedication, passion and commitment to excellence that farmers have when it comes to farming and their animals. After all, it’s their livelihood. Not to mention the right thing to do. I hope many of you had an opportunity to meet a farmer or two as you strolled through the aisles of the barns at the Indiana State Fair. You won’t find better people than farmers. 

Have you ever wondered how farmers care for their animals?

Nutrition. Farmers work with animal nutritionists to formulate diets based on the animals’ nutritional needs. There is no one-size-fits-all ration and it changes depending on age, life stage (stage of lactation, etc.), and other factors. Nutrition is one of the most important factors influencing milk production, so this is an important area.

Medical Care. Veterinarians care for animals much like how doctors care for people. They provide check-ups, vaccinations and treat animals when they are sick.

Animal Comfort. Happy animals are productive animals. California is on to something when they talk about happy cows. Happy, comfortable cows produce more milk. And milk equals money. Therefore, it is very important to provide safe and comfortable living conditions for cows and all animals. On our dairy, we had sprinklers over the feed alleys to cool cows off (and encourage them to eat more feed), large fans in the free stalls to make their naps more comfortable (cows spend a considerable amount of time lying down, so it is important that they are as comfortable as possible!), and fans in the holding pen to cool cows off as they waited their turn to be milked. Some farmers use sand bedding and rubber matting to increase cow comfort. The take away message here: animal comfort is very important and farmers recognize this.

Housing. Dairy cows are generally housed according to age. This makes it easier to provide the best care for each group, as they all have different needs. A second-lactation fresh cow (a cow that just gave birth) has different needs than a growing 10-month-old heifer (female dairy animal who has not had a calf). Dairy farmers separate cows and calves to provide the best individual care for each. Calves receive colostrum (the first milk after a cow calves) as soon as possible to jump start their immune systems, and then receive milk for about two months. In the meantime, they are slowly transitioned off of milk and onto hay and grain (called the weaning process). At the same time, the milk cows are fed high-energy diets to provide for their lactation requirements. Milk production requires a lot of energy!

Employees. Whether farm employees are family members or not, they care for the animals like they are their own. Working toward a common goal—whether that be high milk production, excellent milk quality, etc.—always has a way of bringing people together. Visiting with my favorite cows always made the work day a lot better. And of course, who can be upset when you are surrounded by adorable calves?

Take Home Message: Farmers depend on their animals for their livelihoods and they provide the best care for them as possible.

Dairy Bar, Cattle Barn and Cheeselady- Oh My!

By Michelle Plummer of Winners Drink Milk

Can you believe the State Fair is only four weeks away!  I am so excited to tell you what the American Dairy Association is doing to begin the celebration!  To start the Dairy Bar wants to give away 10  pairs of tickets to the Dairy Bar.  Each pair of tickets would be a coupon for a ‘Fuel Up to Play 60 Kids Meal and a Shake and Sandwich coupon.  Learn how to enter later in the post.

Visit the fair during the 13-17^th and see the real dairy farmers and cows.  See how the animals are cared for and actually pet a calf and receive a coupon for a glass of milk in the Cattle Barn.  Walk along and visit the exhibits in Our Land Pavilion and have an opportunity to step back in time to see how milk was delivered in the early ‘30’s, see the old timey posters of milk promotions and follow the carbon foot print of dairy farming since the late ‘30’s. Visit Sarah Kaufmann, aka the Cheeselady, and see what she is carving this year to help celebrate the 80 years of Dairy & Nutrition Council delivering the facts and fun of the dairy industry in Indiana.  

Mark your calendar for August 10, when we unveil the sculpture for the fair goers to see.  There will be cooking demos using assorted dairy products and featuring Ivy Tech student who actually developed lactose free recipes for consumers who have difficult time drinking milk.  For the kids on the 7th and 14th we will host the Shake it Up with Dairy demo giving kids the opportunity to drink a new dairy product and meet Buttercup in person

Are you ready for a snack? Stop by the Dairy Bar and enjoy a gooey and creamy grilled cheese, a delicious shake or a dish of hand scooped ice cream!  To enter to win the coupons tell us just one of the five cheeses used at the dairy bar. Winners will be chosen randomly and announced on Friday! Have a great day at the fair, we sure are!

Indy 500 vs. Dairy Farming

By Kimmi Devaney of Winners Drink Milk

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! What better way to celebrate May than with what has been referred to as the greatest spectacle in racing—the Indy 500. May 29^th marks the 100^th anniversary of the first race. For many families, the Indy 500 has been a tradition for generations. Before heading to the race, don’t forget to pack water, sunscreen and a camera to capture all of the festivities. After the race, celebrate like the winners do—with an ice-cold bottle of milk. In addition to being a refreshing treat on a hot day, milk is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to increase calcium and vitamin D consumption.

Wordless Wednesday: Cookie Time!

When she's not out selling cookies, Girl Scout Cadette Elaina Derrer enjoys a few Thin Mints with milk. Her mom had the foresight to buy extra and freeze them to enjoy year-round!


Craving some Thin Mints to go with your milk? Indiana's Dairy Farmers and the Indiana Board of Animal Health are giving away cookies and milk this week on Indiana Family of Farmer's Facebook page. 


Hop over there and tell us which Girl Scout Cookie Flavor is your favorite and you just might find yourself the winner of some cookies and milk from Indiana's farmers!

Girl Scout Cookies and Milk: The Inside Scoop

By Guest Blogger:  Denise Derrer, Full-time Public Information Director for the State Board of Animal Health and Part-time Girl Scout Troop Leader

If you haven’t been asked to buy a box of Girl Scout cookies yet, you probably haven’t been out of the house lately! It’s that time of year again when girls all over Indiana are racking up orders for Samoas, Tag-a-Longs and (my personal fav) Thin Mints.

When those cookies arrive in a couple of weeks, nothing will complete snack time like a tall, cold glass of milk. Have you thought about what goes into making sure that milk is wholesome and safe for everyone to enjoy?

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) manages Indiana’s dairy inspection program. Every day, inspectors are visiting dairy farms and the processing facilities that pasteurize, manufacture and package the milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream we all enjoy. Since this is something few people ever really see, I thought I’d give you the “inside scoop” on what some of my coworkers do in the field.

Milk is among the most highly inspected and regulated food products on the market. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets the standards by which all milk must be produced. State agencies, such as BOAH, work with the farmers and plant operators of all sizes—from mom-and-pop to international companies—to make sure final products are safe.

By law, farms must be thoroughly inspected at least twice each year. Sometimes our inspectors make spot checks or revisit operations that need to correct issues from a previous inspection.

Inspections start with a general look at the farm itself: 

Is the place generally clean? Are rodents and pets kept out of the milking facility? Are weeds kept trimmed? Are the cows free of manure? Do the doors to the milk house seal tightly? Are there paper towels at the sink? Do employees wash their hands?

Those questions only scratch the surface of what’s involved in a farm inspection. There’s so much to look at!

Every piece of milking equipment is closely scrutinized. BOAH dairy inspectors look like detectives, armed with flashlights to help them peer into bulk tanks to make sure no protein residue accumulates on the sides. They’ll disassemble the stainless steel pipes, pumps and hoses to verify the insides are getting proper daily cleanings. Gaskets and seals are inspected. Thermometers are checked to ensure they are accurate, and milk is kept below 40 degrees.

Inspectors also verify any medications used on the farm are approved for use on dairy cattle. Meds must be stored properly, have the veterinary labels attached and not be expired.

Likewise, inspecting a dairy plant (where milk is bottled or cheese is made) is much like inspecting the milking facility portion of the farm—only with a lot more pipes and tanks. And I mean a lot. Some of these plants take many, many hours to inspect, often in the wee hours of the morning, when the bottling operation is shut down.

Those inspections do not even cover all the product testing that goes on to ensure product safety.

Four types of tests are completed regularly to ensure dairy products are safe:

1. Somatic cell counts, which are an indicator of the general health of the cows. Only healthy cows may be milked.
2. Bacteria levels, which can affect the shelf-life, quality and safety of the product. Each load of milk must be tested as it is delivered to the processing plant to ensure it meets federal standards. Dairy cooperatives (which buy the milk from farmers) test the milk at the farm-level another five to six times a month to ensure their herd is producing top-quality milk. Cheese makers will frequently test their finished products for other organisms to ensure they are safe to eat.
3. Antibiotic drug residues, which is an issue of food safety. Just like people, cows can become ill. And, like people, they may be prescribed medications to help them heal. Milk from cows being treated cannot go into the human food chain, yet the treated cows still have to be milked daily. That means their milk has to be dumped. So the milk supply is checked frequently (and multiple times) to ensure no mistakes were made. Milk is tested for drug residues on the farm, again on the truck as it arrives at the processor (before it is unloaded), and again as the final product at the plant.
4. Water quality, because the water used to clean the equipment and nourish the cows must be free of contaminants, including bacteria like e. coli.

All of these factors, together, help determine if a dairy farm or processing facility meets the standard to ship milk or dairy products. Any time the operation doesn’t meet the standard, the milk will be rejected. That is why farmers and plant operators work so hard to make sure they produce high-quality, safe products.

So, when you sit back to enjoy those Girl Scout cookies with a glass of milk, don’t just thank a farmer. Thank an inspector, too!

If you'd like to win some Girl Scout Cookies and Milk this week, visit us over on our Facebook Page and tell us your Favorite Girl Scout Cookie Flavor. Winner will be chosen at random on Facebook.