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MSU Vet Educates Mothers on Dairy Safety By: Simon Zagata In the public eye, dairy products and farming in general have begun to garner a negative connotation. Worries about how dairy can affect public health are at the forefront of the issue, but that is not the only concern. Anxiety over animal health, including the humane treatment of dairy herds, is another reason so much noise is being made. To better understand the issue, I sat down with Michigan State University’s assistant professor Dr. Jennifer Roberts, DVM, who has set out to spread knowledge about what really goes on in the dairy production process. To do that, she has started with the “Mommy Blogger”. Mommy Bloggers are a relatively new breed, combining the skills needed to be an internet writer with the knowledge and experience of a mother. Like any blogger, they write on a plethora of topics, ranging from sports and welding, to childcare, and of course, the dairy industry. No matter what the topic, the focus almost always goes back to one thing: how it will affect the author’s children. This is especially true when speaking of the dairy industry, which produces products that most children consume frequently. Parents are worried about hormones, the pasteurization process, and animal cruelty. So, to put their minds at ease, Dr. Roberts, sponsored by the Michigan Agricultural Council, took a group of bloggers through the milk production process, to show what really happens to milk, from cow to shelf. “We started at a dairy farm, where they got to see the milking parlor, free-stall barn, and calves. They got to see how well the animals are cared for, and speak with the owner of the farm,” said Roberts. The myth that animals on dairy farms are treated poorly is surprisingly common. On that topic, Dr. Roberts commented, “The farms that I’ve worked with do everything they can to ensure that the animals are well-cared for and healthy. They contact the vet and work closely with them to keep the animal healthy. Farmers are genuinely concerned with the well-being of animals… I’ve been all over the country and am comfortable saying that that’s the standard all over the country.” As for the milk, much of the controversy is whether raw milk is healthier than milk that is pasteurized and homogenized, so that part of the process was seen as well. “They were reading a lot of things about raw milk, and weren’t sure about that information and why people would choose to drink raw milk over pasteurized milk,” said Roberts. She continued, “After seeing the process, they were saying that they didn’t see how pasteurization was a bad thing.” If any mothers are skeptical about Roberts being biased towards the industry she works in, they need not worry, as she is a mother herself. “I’m a mom, I have two young children. They drink milk, eat cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, and of course ice cream,” she laughs. “I would recommend that you buy any dairy product that is labeled as homogenized and pasteurized from any reputable retailer. Dairy is an important part of any child’s diet.” Even though the tour was a success, everyone involved with the dairy industry knows that education does not stop there. “Our goal as an industry is that by getting these small groups to see the process they can help dispel the myths. There are more people who follow blogs than who read newspapers, so we can get the word out through these women by having them blog on it.” Roberts hopes to continue doing the tours, educating the public on how safe an important part of Michigan and U.S. agriculture truly is. Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine is a world-renowned, accredited institute of veterinary education. The College continuously provides diverse academic opportunities to cultivate great scholars and better people. Advancing the art and science of veterinary medicine every day, MSU CVM is aided by research and is available to the public for the advancement of human and animal health. With more than 100 years of teaching excellence, CVM continues to prepare leaders, life-savers, and world changers to meet the challenges of Michigan, the nation, and the world. 10/22/12