Now pay attention.

[Lady Henevere]

Quote:
RH, there's an interesting discussion about Food, Inc. here, if you're interested: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=209252

 

[StupidBird]

What an interesting topic here. Grand dad died of emphysema and had had tuberculosis; dad had a calcified tuberculosis cyst in his lungs. Granddad's whole generation in the family were butchers and its said that's how they got it, from infected cattle.

So, given all the stuff I'm learning here on BYC, it's a real good thing I've got chickens. Sensitive to chlorine; allergic to soy and milk. Now should I try non-soy fed cow milk? Just a thought. But its a big risk. Won't kill me but I'll be pretty sick for a few days. My allergist says "now that's an interesting point" but doesn't know either. I'd sure like to have some cheese and cream and butter...
The layer feeds label just says grain and grain by products. Hmm. Will look into non-soy chicken feed.
In my early teens I practically lived on raw milk from a commercial dairy in town. Was pretty darn sick all the time too; docs couldn't figure it out for years that I had such a bad milk allergy.
Come to think of it, DS has been getting some man-t's lately - and he's been downing alot of milk... hmmm.

I just love BYC. I learn something every day!

 

[Hoosiermomma]

[Finally it's important to educate your family and friends and anyone who will listen about the healthy or unhealthy affects of our food that comes from farms. Commercial or otherwise. A friend recently told my DW that her doctor told her the reason her DD was going through puberty so early, 10yrs or so, was because of the hormones in the milk. She is now giving her Soy milk]

We were told by our pediatrician that our youngest now 3 1/2 could possibly start developing puberty type symptoms within the next few years due to hormones. They will be keeping a watch for symptoms. However we do look for a hormone free label when buying milk or anything else that might possibly have them.

 

[citrusdreams]

Quote:
The only way your grand dad could have gotten TB from his cattle was by drinking the milk without it being pasteurized, if indeed the cow was infected. Did they actually TEST the milk? It's way too common to blame it on "oh, it must have been the raw milk". However, the only way to be sure it was the cattle is to test the cattle or the milk. Cooked beef and pasteurized milk don't contain TB if done correctly. Pasteurization was started to kill potential TB. It doesn't survive at the temperatures recommended by the FDA.

The best way to avoid this is to get a cow that is TB/Brucellosis free, and BVD, BLV and Johnes free. I won't buy a milk cow without all those tests being negative. And I make sure that they're vaccinated because I'm sorry but there is no such thing as a um, "closed herd". Unless you have no wildlife (particularly deer) in your side of the world

If you're completely surrounded by cement, you might be okay. But here, we have many deer as well as other life.

That said, cleanliness and proper handling will make your milk safe and you know what? you can pasteurize it, that's fine...you'll kill the good stuff along with any potential bad stuff you might be worried about as well. But IMOHO pasteurized farm fresh milk is STILL much better than the crap in the store. Baby steps people, baby steps

I've never heard of cows being fed soy, someone else would have to comment on that, but I don't think you have to worry about non-soy fed cows. Though for some reason, some of the calf milk replacement formulas have soy in it, which can be detrimental to the calves but whatever.

If you truly have an allergy to cow's milk, raw or otherwise, then try goat milk. Many people who are truly allergic to cow's milk can have goat milk. However, you will probably not find store-bought goat milk palatable

Do yourself a favor and find some goat milk from a farm that has goats tested for TB and brucellosis. And THEN, go out and buy a goat and make goat cottage cheese and goat cheddar. Butter will be hard...but you can always get a cow for that

 

[babylady4]

Quote:
The only way your grand dad could have gotten TB from his cattle was by drinking the milk without it being pasteurized, if indeed the cow was infected. Did they actually TEST the milk? It's way too common to blame it on "oh, it must have been the raw milk". However, the only way to be sure it was the cattle is to test the cattle or the milk. Cooked beef and pasteurized milk don't contain TB if done correctly. Pasteurization was started to kill potential TB. It doesn't survive at the temperatures recommended by the FDA.

Actually, getting Bovine TB from butchering cattle is likely the culprit of the TB infection. The exposure to the contaminated blood and nervous tissue increases the odds of contracting the disease.

I don't buy this mandatory pasteurization of milk they shove at us. Where is the proof that the milk is contaminated with TB? The examples we have are from long ago, or from studies conducted with WAY too many variables to accurately pinpoint the cause of contamination.......

Also, IMHO if bovine TB was that easy to catch (by drinking contaminated milk) we would have had HUGE outbreaks of it.