ANSC 4004

Milk is a highly prized food, the efficient forage-based production of which has been a major economic phenomenon in agriculture for millennia. Four main species – cattle, buffalo, goats and sheep – have been selected to produce milk for humans. All are from the Bovidae Family (Suborder Ruminantia) of cudchewers. Chosen initially because they didn’t compete for the scarce food supplies of our ancestors, ruminants, especially cows, have been selected intensively for milk-yielding characteristics and conformation. The objectives of this course are to examine the production of milk, from provision of feed for the animals to processing the milk into products, and the important contribution made by the dairy industry in providing sustainable food security for society. This course will challenge perceptions of students who will become future dairy farmers or consumers and thus will influence future policy.