It’s June…do you know what that means? It’s National Dairy Month! Because of how special the dairy community is to me, I wanted to write a post answering five of the most common questions I get about dairy cows and my involvement in the industry. There are tons of resources on the truth behind the dairy industry, milk’s health benefits, and the sustainable farming practices from dairying. Since there’s also a lot of fake news and false information out there, I included resources I trust below for you to learn more. And if that doesn’t do it for you, please reach out to me and I would be happy to connect you to a real-life expert and dairy farmer if there are more questions stirring in your brain.

1) Do cows get cold?

Cows actually enjoy cooler temperatures because they are warm-blooded. When it’s cold outside to a human, cows typically think that it feels comfortable outside. Their hair grows thicker as the outside temperatures drop, acting as an insulation for the cows to keep them warm and safe. Dairy farmers do a few things in order to ensure cows are safe in the cold, including feeding them higher-energy diets (since the cold makes cows use more energy to stay warm), ensuring that their water troughs stay thawed out, and using blankets on calves when necessary.
Learn more at one of the below links about dairy cows and about cows in general (including beef cattle). 

• Clover Meadows Beef – Do Cows Get Cold in Winter?
• The Dairy Alliance – Cows & Cold Weather

2) Do cows have best friends?

Based on my personal experience, I think this is true. However, after searching for a while, I can’t find a reputable source that shows research on this. There seems to be research conducted in the UK showing that cows do have strong social bonds with one another and have preferences of sharing time and space with certain other cow(s). Because cows are herd animals, it makes sense that they would be stressed when away from their friends, but I’m a firm believer that a cow has one or two besties she wants to be around most.

Here are Ethel & Emma, Holstein twins and best friends for over 14 years:

The only relatively reliable resource I could find for this was this blog post from Organic Valley, an American dairy cooperative, that explains cows and their friends.

3) How many stomachs does a cow have?

Cows actually have one stomach with four compartments (not four stomachs, like many people believe). This stomach helps cows break down their food, like grass, completely and get the most nutrients out of their food.

• Milk Means More – Do Cows Really Have Four Stomachs?
• Swan Bros. Dairy – One Stomach, Four Chambers

4) What’s a “dairy princess?”

A dairy princess is a promoter of the dairy industry who is selected to serve in this capacity in a competitive process, usually in her county, region, or state. They are passionate about the dairy industry, go through extensive communication and industry trainings, present to various audiences about dairy farming and dairy’s health benefits, and represent the industry on a local and/or state level. Serving as a dairy princess is usually a volunteer role for young women, with some states or programs giving scholarships to its dairy royalty. This is usually a year-long commitment and can be an incredible personal and professional development opportunity for the young woman.

• Here’s an example of Midwestern dairy princess programs that develop young leaders for the industry.
• Here’s a national look at why dairy princesses are important and relevant (you’ll see Ethel Galbreath & I featured in this one!).

5) Do brown cows give chocolate milk?

No, all cows produce the same color of “white” milk, which chocolate flavoring and sweetener are added to at a later time. Chocolate milk technically can come from any breed or color of cow. 

Disclaimer: This one always sounds like a joke to people…but unfortunately 7% of Americans believe that brown cows produce chocolate milk. That is over 16 MILLION people. So if I can clarify this for one person out of that large number of Americans, you can bet your bottom dollar I will.

• The Washington Post – The surprising number of American adults who think chocolate milk comes from brown cows
• The Dairy Farmers of Washington – If Not Brown Cows, Where Does Chocolate Milk Really Come From?

Great additional resources on dairy farming or dairy nutrition:

• Dairy Farming FAQ – Learn more about dairy farming, including everything from environmental and economic impacts of dairy farming to what dairy calves eat
• Dairy Nutrition FAQ – Learn more about how milk is good for humans and our bodies
• Breeds of Dairy Cows – Just like dogs and other species, there are different breeds of dairy cows that have different characteristics and benefits that contribute to milk production, herd health, or overall farming practices
• Additional Dairy Farming FAQ – Answers to questions that are commonly asked on farm tours

This post is in memory of my favorite bovine buds, Ethel & Emma Galbreath. Ethel lived 14.5 years and Emma lived 18.5 years, both defying the odds with their personalities and long, special lives. Our family’s lives are better because we had them.