A Dairy Farm through a Future Registered Dietitian’s Eyes

Did you know the average cow produces 28 glasses of milk a day and drinks the equivalent of an entire bathtub of water? I recently had the opportunity to go on a tour at Glo-Crest Dairy in Clermont, Ga. The farm cares for about 220 Holstein cows, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, all year round.

When it comes to taking care of cows, the farm is equipped with a variety of features to ensure they are comfortable no matter the weather. For example, the cows live in a climate-controlled barn with an unlimited food and water supply. Additionally, their sand bedding is changed daily to keep them comfortable.

We also had the opportunity to see the parlor where the cows are milked twice a day and the barn where all of the young calves live for the first few months to help build up their immune systems.

After touring the farm, we were able to visit the creamery where the milk is pasteurized and turned into a variety of products including butter, buttermilk and ice cream. A unique aspect of Mountain Fresh Creamery is that it uses low-temperature pasteurization where the milk is heated to 145˚F for 30 minutes, which adds to the creaminess and signature taste of the milk.

As a dietetic intern, being able to go on a dairy farm tour opened my eyes to important aspects of production that goes into making dairy products. Seeing the cows, workers and machinery that help ensure both quality products and healthy, happy cows was simply amazing. If anyone ever wants to learn more about dairy farming or if you just want to try some great ice cream and milk products, I would definitely suggest taking a farm tour.

Danielle Schumacher is a Dietetic Intern at Life University and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Nevada, Reno in nutritional sciences with a specialization in dietetics. Danielle loves to play rugby, hang out with friends and most importantly, eat all types of food!