Lost Arts 2- Milking Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pig

Reindeer milk is the richest of any domestic species- it has a fat content of up to 22 percent! (Cow's milk averages 3-4 percent.) Many Lapps use reindeer milk. Mongolian warriors made yogurt and condensed milk from horse milk, and even today, an alcoholic drink called kumiss is made from horse's milk in Mongolia.

There are actually horse dairies (using mainly draft horses) in Belgium! Sheep's milk is used primarily in cheesemaking, with the East Friesian being the most milkable sheep breed.

Answer: They must have babies before milk is produced

Many people don't realize that you don't get milk until you get babies! Although cows have 4 teats, other animals may have different numbers- goats have 2, for example. In most dairy situations, babies are taken from the mother at birth or as soon as they have had colostrum. Most milking animals are milked twice a day.

Answer: Stainless steel

Stainless steel is tough, easy to clean, and can withstand the cleaning and disinfecting solutions that are used to clean dairy equipment.

Answer: Wash her udder

You want to make sure that the milk is coming from a clean udder. Sometimes special udder wash is used for the purpose, but some people use some soapy water with a bit of bleach. Udder washing also stimulates the animal to let down her milk.

Answer: Thumb and index finger

Your thumb and index finger trap the milk in the teat, and the other fingers squeeze it out.

Answer: It's highest in bacteria

Often, these squirts will be directed into a 'strip cup', where you can examine them for flakes, clots or other signs of mastitis- an inflammation of the udder.

Answer: It's unfit for human use

Often, the babies are kept with their mother for the first few days to receive the colostrum. Then the babies are bottle-fed and the mother is milked. However, some cultures enjoy special puddings and other dishes made from colostrum.

Answer: True

Cows have been intensively bred for milk production, and, unfortunately, many are given hormones to keep the milk production even higher. While a 'family cow' may easily reach the age of 12, the average commercial dairy cow 'burns out' in just a few years.

Answer: False

Most are milked by machine, just as cows are. In fact, cow machines can be adapted for goats.

Answer: Strain it

Milk is strained through woven fiber filters. This removes all the hairs and hay that got into the milking pail despite brushing! Then, if you choose to pasteurize the milk to kill germs, you do so. Then the milk must be cooled as quickly as possible to retain flavor. Hope you learned something and happy milking!