How much sour hey is it recommended to give the cows, in order to get
non-sour milk?
My understanding is that the milk will get a slight sour taste if the cows
eat too much sour hey, isn't it?
In the school where I study there are cows on an Antroposofic farm just
by, and sometimes the milk which I bye from the farm tastes sour, could
that be the reason?
From: Rohita (Dasa) ACBSP (New Talavan MS - USA)
talavan@com.org
Sent: 17 May 1999 00:38
Subject: Re: Sour hey
[Text 2322865 from COM]
How much sour hey is it recommended to give the cows, in order to get
non-sour milk?
My understanding is that the milk will get a slight sour taste if the
cows eat too much sour hey, isn't it?
In the school where I study there are cows on an Antroposofic farm just
by, and sometimes the milk which I bye from the farm tastes sour, could
that be the reason?
Thankful fore answer.
Y.S Bhn. Silvia
Comment:
Dear Bhaktin Silvia:
Please accept my humble obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
There is no relationship between the cow drinking whey and the milk
tasting sour. When the whey is consumed by the cow it enters into her
stomach which has a sour nature. She is a walking fermentation plant,
green plant material is being broken down by the activity of bacteria
present in her stomach. Then her circulatory/mammalary system removes the
needed nutrients to nourish her body and the produce of her womb along
with all who consume her milk.
However, it may have an effect on her own behavior, just as when she is
feed solely on silage without the access to grass in its natural state
(pasture) or in its dried state (hay). She will be drunk.
Sour tasting milk comes from milk being improperly stored or put into
containers that are improperly cleaned. Either milk must be heated
immediately on coming from the cow then used or chilled then heated before
consumption. Prolonged storage (more than 5 hours) at room temperature
will lead to sour milk.
Ys,
Rohita dasa
From: Hare Krsna dasi (Brunswick, Maine - USA)
Hare.Krsna.dasi@bbt.se
Sent: 17 May 1999 17:10
Subject: Re: Sour hey
[Text 2324696 from COM]
How much sour hey is it recommended to give the cows, in order to get
non-sour milk?
My understanding is that the milk will get a slight sour taste if the
cows eat too much sour hey, isn't it?
In the school where I study there are cows on an Antroposofic farm just
by, and sometimes the milk which I bye from the farm tastes sour, could
that be the reason?
Thankful fore answer.
Rohita responded:
...Sour tasting milk comes from milk being improperly stored or put into
containers that are improperly cleaned. Either milk must be heated
immediately on coming from the cow then used or chilled then heated
before consumption. Prolonged storage (more than 5 hours) at room
temperature will lead to sour milk.
Hare Krsna dasi comment:
Another thing to remember is that since this is an international
conference it is possible that Silvia prabhu is using the word "sour" in a
different sense that we understand it in North America and the UK. To us,
"sour" has a narrow meaning, something that tastes like lemon or plain
yoghurt. For example, we would not say that onion-flavored milk is "sour,"
but we might say that it is "pungent."
But, in another country, they might use the word "sour" just to mean "bad
tasting." If that is the case, that the milk does not taste good, then the
problem could be that the cow has mastitis.
Do you use a screened strip-cup before you milk the cow, so that you can
detect any long-fatty "threads" which would indicate mastitis or other
disease? Especially late in the lactation, the cow might get mastitis.
This would cause bad flavor. Especially if it is early in the lactation,
the cow needs to be treated for that by increasing the regularity of the
milking schedule and being careful to wash the udder before milking and
clean the teats again immediately after milking. We used to use iodine
teat dip after milking to prevent mastitis -- what do cowherds use now?
your servant,
Hare Krsna dasi
