Fresh milk and other dairy products are one of the definitions of the
average British diet, and over the years the UK has managed to both
produce and manufacture milk in the most efficient ways using increasing
technology. However, with nearly every British household having milk
and other dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and cream on their
daily shopping list, how can we meet the demand for this highly sought
after food group?
Well, it all starts with the farmers of dairy cows.
Dairy farms range in size from small scale to large and extensive
ventures where cows can be farmed from having massive areas of grazing
outdoors, to miles of sheds where they are kept exclusively. However,
despite the size of the operation and whether animals are outdoor or
indoor reared, the biggest concerns for farmers are the health and
welfare of the cows.
Despite
herd sizes having increased in recent years, there are always a number
of seasonal implications to the production of milk. Firstly, there is
traditionally an increase in production in May as this is just after the
calving season and when mothers are naturally producing the most amount
of milk. This is then followed by a dip in the late autumn when the
condition of the grass becomes poorer and therefore, it is more
challenging for a dairy cow to produce as much milk as before.Once
the milk has been collected by farmers, it is then in turn collected by
milk hauliers...a fleet that is approximately 1,300 vehicles strong and
manned by over 2,000 drivers. Once the raw milk reaches processing
plants roughly half of it stays as liquid milk while the rest gets
turned into cheese, powders, condensed milk, cream and obviously,
butter.
Despite
such a high demand for milk in the UK, very few people actually buy
directly using the doorstep delivery service as most milk and other
dairy products are sold through supermarkets. It is thought that in the
5percent market share provided by doorstep delivery, around 1 million
pints of milk are provided every day directly to people's homes. And on
top of all of this, the EU and UK authorities also provide free milk to
children under five who are in registered nurseries.
