| Since the end of the Second World War, milk | | | | negative environmental impact of this |
| has been mass-produced using intensive | | | | practice is rife, affecting wildlife and soil |
| farming methods. It has been touted as good | | | | quality. Nitrates from fertilisers leach into |
| for us by health professionals and the dairy | | | | our waterways, leaving water companies with |
| industry for decades, the average Britain | | | | millions of pounds worth of clean up costs |
| guzzles over 86 litres of it each year and | | | | each year in order to ensure the safety of |
| children love it, so it makes sense to ensure | | | | drinking water.Organic dairy farming does not |
| we are getting it from a good quality | | | | permit synthetic chemicals to be used on |
| source.More and more people are willing to | | | | pasture and relies on clover as fertiliser. |
| dig a bit deeper into their pockets to find | | | | Its implementation of more traditional |
| the extra few pence (or pounds) to pay for | | | | farming methods, such as crop rotation, helps |
| the healthier option, and for many, that | | | | to restore the balance of wildlife and |
| means going organic. Milk is no | | | | improve soil.Animal welfare is a topic that |
| exception.OMSCo (the Organic Milk Suppliers | | | | hits a nerve with many people. Standards in |
| Cooperative) confirms milk to be the largest | | | | which animals are kept vary from |
| single organic product in the UK. Its | | | | farm-to-farm. For example, on conventional |
| increasing availability and falling prices | | | | dairy farms, cows do not have to be given |
| make it a popular choice for the consumer. On | | | | bedding or much room; some farms never allow |
| average, a pint of organic milk will cost | | | | their cows to graze outside and instead they |
| just 14 pence more per pint than its | | | | remain inside in stalls and the grass is |
| non-organic counterpart, and buying | | | | brought to them. Calves may be kept isolated |
| multi-litre cartons as many households do, | | | | from their mothers and other calves and thus |
| means it works out even cheaper. Supermarket | | | | experience great distress.Organic dairy cows |
| shelves reserved for it are often bare, | | | | spend the spring and summer months grazing on |
| reflecting its demand.So why the sudden mad | | | | pasture and are housed comfortably during the |
| rush for the organic white stuff? Consumers | | | | winter with bedding and plenty of space. |
| have become increasingly worried about | | | | Calves are allowed to socialise which is part |
| artificial chemicals, antibiotics and | | | | of their natural behaviour. Organic dairy |
| pesticides that are required to prevent | | | | farming requires higher standards of welfare |
| disease and maximise milk production. With | | | | for its animals.When dairy cows are given |
| the average cow being excessively milked to | | | | nutritious, natural food and a better quality |
| produce the highest yield possible, which can | | | | of life, this reflects in the quality of |
| be over 11,000 pints of milk per year (more | | | | their milk. Research has shown organic milk |
| than 10 times as much as they would naturally | | | | contains higher levels of omega 3 fatty |
| produce for their calf), mastitis is | | | | acids, beta-carotene and other |
| common.Affecting 30 per cent of dairy cows, | | | | cancer-fighting antioxidants than non-organic |
| mastitis is a painful infection of the udder | | | | milk. Organic milk is more natural as it does |
| routinely treated with antibiotics. The Dairy | | | | not contain potentially harmful pesticide |
| Council of the United Kingdom states that | | | | residues or originate from cows fed |
| milk collected from cows treated for mastitis | | | | genetically modified food.This is not to say |
| in this way is not sold for human | | | | non-organic milk is bad. Not all farms are |
| consumption, but some people still have | | | | created equal; animal welfare standards and |
| concerns about residues ending up in | | | | farming practices vary considerably. Organic |
| milk.Although antibiotics are still used in | | | | dairy farming is nothing new; it is simply |
| organic dairy farming, they are kept to a | | | | geared towards age-old farming methods used |
| minimum and only used when absolutely | | | | before the Second World War, and not all |
| necessary, with priority being given to | | | | organic farms adhere to the same |
| homeopathic and herbal alternatives.The diet | | | | principles.If you want to drink milk that is |
| of dairy cows consists of grass, silage | | | | organic because you believe it is healthier |
| (pickled grass), and hay. Large amounts of | | | | or simply for your own peace of mind, how can |
| protein are required to ensure milk demands | | | | you be sure the milk you drink is produced to |
| can be met. One way of achieving this is to | | | | high organic standards?Supermarket own-label |
| supplement the diet with high protein | | | | brands are likely to be supplied by OMSCo. If |
| concentrates that can be given in variable | | | | the OMSCo logo is displayed on a pint it |
| proportions, sometimes at unnaturally high | | | | means a farmer registered with a UK organic |
| levels. This often takes the form of imported | | | | certification body has produced the milk. |
| genetically modified cattle feed, which helps | | | | Certification bodies include The Soil |
| to keep feeding costs down.There are strict | | | | Association, Organic Farmers & Growers, The |
| regulations in place regarding the feed of | | | | Organic Food Federation and Demeter, all of |
| organic dairy cows, and GM is a no-go area. | | | | which demand high organic standards of their |
| Instead the bulk of the diet is made up of | | | | members. There are also independent brands, |
| grass, silage, hay and other green plants | | | | which comply with strict organic regulations; |
| rather than concentrates. Whenever | | | | a couple to look out for include Rachel's |
| concentrates are given they must be GM-free | | | | Organic and Yeo Valley.Some farming |
| and not animal derived.It stands to reason | | | | principles are still the same throughout |
| that whatever cows eat, ends up in their | | | | organic and non-organic milk production, but |
| milk; animals absorb chemicals just like | | | | if you have decided to go down the organic |
| humans. Pesticides and artificial fertilisers | | | | route it would seem to be a step in the right |
| are sprayed on pastures and chemical traces | | | | direction. |
| of pesticides have been found in milk. The | | | | |