On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 39

fromthegland.Theoptimumsequencefor
milkproductionistobreedthecowagain90
daysafteritcalves,milkitfor10months,and
letitgodryforthetwomonthsbeforethe
nextcalving.Inintensiveoperations,cows
aren’tallowedtowasteenergyongrazingin
variablepastures;they’regivenhayorsilage
(wholecornorotherplants,partlydriedand
thenpreservedbyfermentationinairtight
silos)inconfinedlots,andaremilkedonly
duringtheirtwoorthreemostproductive
years.Thecombinationofbreedingand
optimalfeedformulationhasledtoperanimalyieldsofahundredpoundsor15
gallons/58litersperday,thoughtheAmerican
averageisabouthalfthat.Dairybreedsof
sheepandgoatsgiveaboutonegallonperday.
Thefirstfluidsecretedbythemammary
glandiscolostrum,acreamy,yellowsolution
ofconcentratedfat,vitamins,andproteins,
especiallyimmunoglobulinsandantibodies.
Afterafewdays,whenthecolostrumflowhas


ceasedandthemilkissaleable,thecalfisput
onadietofreconstitutedandsoymilks,and
thecowismilkedtwoorthreetimesdailyto
keepthesecretorycellsworkingatfull
capacity.
TheMilkFactoryThemammaryglandisan
astonishing biological factory, with many
differentcellsandstructuresworkingtogether

to create, store, and dispense milk. Some
components of milk come directly from the
cow’s blood and collect in the udder. The
principal nutrients, however — fats, sugar,
and proteins — are assembled by the gland’s
secretory cells, and then released into the
udder.
A Living Fluid Milk’s blank appearance
beliesitstremendouscomplexityandvitality.
It’s alive in the sense that, fresh from the
udder, it contains living white blood cells,
some mammary-gland cells, and various
bacteria; and it teems with active enzymes,