November 2024

Preserving irish dexter dairy & beef

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By Eliena Bodtke, Stay’N Put Farm

Since many of us are homesteaders or practice some kind of preserving, I thought I would take a moment to discuss an alternative to canning, pressure canning and dehydrating. 

 Are you scratching your head, thinking where is she going with this?

Consider freeze drying.  While the initial cost seems daunting, it really is an excellent way to preserve your Dexter milk, yogurts, cheeses, colostrum and beef for 25 YEARS!  Think about when you’re over loaded with one veggie or another during gardening season.  The veggies, herbs or eggs when they are abundant, can be frozen and put into the freeze dryer anytime.  We still can and pressure can, but this gives us a  whole new option.  

We purchased a medium Harvest Right about a year and half ago and have been amazed at all the things we can preserve….it is less time consuming and in our opinion, and better quality product in many cases.

Canning of dairy is frowned upon by the USDA and in some cases consider unsafe, although people do it.  Freeze drying on the other hand, processes the dairy at lower temperatures and therefore does not pasteurize it…so if raw is your goal, it is good alternative.  If you pasteurize, you still follow the same method.  We pour a quart of milk on each tray and let the machine do its thing.  We have done it both with cream in and cream out…the choice is yours.  We find it needs to be blended when reconstituted, or another favorite is dry in our coffee, just like coffee creamer!

If you’re into selling, freeze dried milk and other products can be a good source income.  Take a look at the price of powdered milk in the store!  It is not uncommon to see freeze dried milk for $30-40 a gallon.  Let’s clarify this.  One gallon of freezer dried milk reconstituted into one gallon of drinkable milk…almost quadruples in price.

And don’t forget your Dexter beef!  Consider this scenario….you have some cuts left from your last processing and you would really like to eat it before you get into the next one.  Well, freeze dry it and then you have preserved it for 25 years.  It makes great gifts, as it is so light to ship.

How do you use this freeze dried beef?  We like to pour some of our Dexter  bone broth over it.  Let it sit in refrigerator over night and then use it in the next day or so.  The beef will only absorb as much broth as it can.  It doesn’t get mushy, which can happen with veggies.  Cook with it like you usually do.

Hope this article helps you on your farm, ranch or homestead.  I just love this technology and thought I would share.

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Milking & Dairy

Things necessary to get your cows through the winter – Part 1

Written by Shelley Hatfield/Whippoorwill Pines Farm

I’m going to talk about 6 things needed to help your cows get through the winter.  I’m sure that there are more than 6 things but these are what I think are most important.  The first thing that you need is fresh water!!  Where you are in the United States will determine how hard this will be over the winter.  Some places are warm enough that they just have to make sure it stays full.  But in some places it almost freezes before you get back to the house.  But fresh water is so important in the health of your cows.  It has been said that cows need 1 to 2 gallons of water per 100pd of body weight.  I know some think that maybe they can lick the snow or lick the ice.  But licking the ice would take so much time to get what they need.  It would also take up body energy that they need to keep warm. Cows that don’t have enough water supply can get dehydrated and are susceptible to colic and other issues.  It is just best to keep fresh water out to them daily.  

Not having water can hinder so many areas in a cow.  Whether in summer or winter, water is so important to the health of your cow.  People usually think about water problems for the summer time, but making sure they have water is also very important for winter.  It affects their digestive system.  It keeps their body temp regulated.  It affects milk production.  Water or lack of it can affect the overall health of your herd.  

There are a couple of different tank heaters that you can use.  One is a floating one that has a cage around it.  I used those for several years, but ran into problems with them.  My cows would get bored and chew on the cord as it hung over the tank.  I used a pvc pipe to try to help.  It worked as long as they left it alone.  There is also a tank heater that goes in the drain hole at the bottom.  This is the one that I’m using now.  I can run the cord out the bottom and around so they can’t reach it.  I will warn you that tank heaters can run up your electricity.  But unless you have waterers run to your pastures, it is tank heaters or break the ice!!  I’ve tried all the tricks that people have come up with and I haven’t found any that work for me.  

Whatever method you decide, tank heaters or breaking ice all day, lets just make sure that we are keeping fresh water to our herds this winter!!

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Beef Farm Management Herd Health

Are cows the new insulin producers?

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Excerpt from Veterinarian To Be on Facebook

Scientists created a genetically engineered cow that produces human insulin in its milk:

 Currently, diabetics rely on insulin synthesized in bacteria within complex laboratory settings.

 The new method harnesses the cow’s natural milk-production capabilities as a biological factory for human proinsulin, the precursor to insulin. Surprisingly, the cow’s mammary gland even performed the conversion to active insulin. 

This proof-of-concept study demonstrated the remarkable potential for transgenic cows to produce massive quantities of insulin. The researchers inserted a segment of human DNA responsible for proinsulin production into cow embryos.  The resulting transgenic calf demonstrated the ability to secrete both human proinsulin and insulin in its milk. 

A single liter of milk contains enough insulin that could meet the needs for a diabetic patient for several years. 

Researchers envision a future where relatively small herds of these special cows could drastically lower insulin production costs and potentially meet global demand. 

Unlike current bacterial production methods, this approach wouldn’t require sophisticated facilities. While further research and regulatory approvals are needed, the scientists are optimistic. This development could herald a new era of insulin availability, making this life-saving medication a reality for all diabetics, regardless of location or income.

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Milking & Dairy
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