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