Milk
About 100% Canadian Milk
Whether you choose to drink it by the glassful, use it to make your recipes creamier or add it in powder form to cake and pastry batters for extra nutrients, 100% Canadian milk is a highly versatile and delicious staple in any kitchen. But have you ever wondered how it gets from the dairy cow to you?
From the farm to the table
The processing of milk takes less than one day from beginning to end. At the dairy farm, cows are milked twice or three times a day by machine. Each cow has a mechanical milking system attached to her teats, and the milk is squeezed into tubes that go directly into a large refrigerated holding tank. Some barns have a robotic system where the cows enter the milking stall individually; the machine positions itself and milks the cow automatically.
Approximately every other day, a special refrigerated truck arrives at the farm to collect the milk and take it to a dairy. Before it leaves the farm, the milk is tested for quality and to make sure the correct temperatures have been maintained. The milk is taken directly to the dairy where is processed into milk, cream and other milk products we enjoy.
Whole milk straight from the cow contains 3.8 to 4% fat. At the dairy, machines remove the fat then add back specific amounts depending on the desired fat content of milk to be processed.
100% Canadian milk is pasteurized to ensure the highest quality and safest product. It is then homogenized to keep the fat, milk solids and water blended together in a smooth mixture, and fortified with vitamin D. Partly skimmed and skim milk also have vitamin A added, and other fortifying or enriching ingredients can be added to specialty milk beverages.
After milk is quickly chilled, it is poured into bags, cartons, jugs or bottles that are ready to ship to stores and restaurants for you to buy, take home and enjoy!
