The demand for farm-to-home products are growing as people focus more on healthy eating. It’s not just farmers who are using the organic fertilisers to keep the quality and freshness of their produce intact, cattle growers are also moving towards farm-to-home milk, which is unadulterated, hormone- and antibiotic-free. At the recently concluded International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) regional workshop in Pune, it was observed that milk is increasingly contaminated by bacteria, antibiotics and aflatoxins.
This is where farm-to-table milk steps in. Any milk that is obtained from cows who are fed with good quality fodder and are not injected with antibiotics or hormones, qualifies as farm fresh milk. This process ensures that the milk is free from residues of pesticides, fertilisers, adulterants, antibiotics and hormones.
This variant of milk is healthy because its nutritional values are intact and it is as fresh as it comes from the cows udder unlike the others which are collected from various farms and stored. At specialised farms, the source of breed and feed is taken care of by a specialised farm team. The cows are kept under controlled and healthy environment, and utmost care is taken unlike the other cows which are with local farmers.
Most farms producing fresh milk are characterised by the use of technology such as automatic milking machines, systems to monitor cow health, bio-digesters, fodder choppers and chilling units. The animals are reared in a clean, stress-free environment and undergo regular veterinary check-ups. The milk is untouched by the human hand and thoroughly chilled, right from the farm until it reaches the customer’s doorstep. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and essential fats.
In fact, next to mothers’ milk, fresh and pure cow milk is the best natural food for babies. One glass (250 ml) of farm-to-home cow’s milk contains about 8.2 gm of protein, 2.5 gm of fat and a whole lot of vitamins, minerals and the highest amounts of calcium. A need of protein for growth, carbohydrates for energy, calcium for strength and other dietary needs of babies, children and adults can be met with a glass of pure and unadulterated fresh cow milk.
The author is senior vice president, Pride Of Cows, Mumbai