History of the Dairy Farmers

There have become fewer dairy farms, but larger dairy herds.

Dairy farming has slowly become a business over the years. In the 1800s, almost all rural families had a cow. Then, as populations grew in the cities, dairy farming became essential to provide milk to the city dwellers.

History

Historically, anyone with a farm had a cow for milk. Not until the 1800s did dairy farming become a profession. At this time, dairy farmers had small herds, and they milked the cows by hand from the side. The reason for doing this was it kept the milk cleaner, away from the cow's tail, and it kept the farmer from being kicked.

Pasteurization

In 1862, pasteurization was introduced to dairy farmers. It was a way to heat the milk to kill the bacteria, making the milk last longer and be safer to drink.

Milkers

In 1878, the first set of suction milkers debuted. They did not become popular immediately with dairy farmers. Many dairy farms did not get them until the 1940s.

Dispensing

Dairy farmers had to keep the milk cool, dispense it and distribute it to the public on their own. They would deliver milk in glass milk bottles on a daily basis until the 1950s.

Herd Size & Production

Today, most dairy farms are family owned and run businesses. There are fewer dairy farms than there were 100 years ago, but the herds have increased. The amount of milk per cow has also increased five times over.

References

• Coppock: History of Dairy Production
• FairvueFarms: The History of U.S. Dairy Farming