TheDairySite Newsletter - 1 June 2012

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Celebrating Milk and Dairy Products

Today is World Milk Day.

World Milk Day was established 12 years ago to provide an opportunity to focus attention on milk and to publicise activities connected with milk and the milk industry.

At present, over 35 countries around the world, have been regular participants of the World Milk Day celebration.

Participation seems particularly strong in developing countries, where exhibitions on cheese, ice cream making will take place.

Milk, yogurt, and cheese are offered for free in many places to encourage dairy product consumption and highlight the health benefits.

In conjunction with World Milk Day, the Indian government is launching a month-long campaign against adulterated milk.

"The entire milk chain, from production, collection and chilling centres to dairies and retailers, will come under review," a government spokesperson said.

The drive will also aim at creating consumer awareness on the issue.

Today also kick starts National Dairy Month in the US, which will see farmers open dairy units to the public, put on huge breakfasts and help educate the consumer about milk production.

National Dairy Month also focuses on letting consumers know the nutritional qualities of milk.

Charlotte Johnston

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 4 new features this week:

Dairy Imports to China Continue to Grow
Buoyed by strong domestic demand, China's overall dairy imports continue to perform strongly according to Michael Hussey from the Food and Beverage Division, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board.

Housing and Management Biggest Contributors to Welfare
Serious welfare risks to cattle and calves in the EU, identified in a scientific review by the EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW), were associated with housing and management.

Risk Factors for Bovine Tuberculosis in Great Britain
Large herds and fattening herds are more likely to breakdown with bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in all areas, according to researchers in the UK. In areas with lower perceived risk, the risk of breaking down increased with the number of animals brought in from high incidence areas. On the other hand, in areas where the perceived risk is higher, bTB breakdown is more likely to be related to the history of disease and the probability of the disease in badgers.

Removing Faulty Sperm from AI Process
All bull semen is not created equal, but Peter Sutovsky has found a way to level the bovine-fertility playing field. Research from the University of Missouri reproductive scientist identifies faulty sperm and takes them out of the equation for artificial insemination (AI) of cattle.