To the editor:

As I read the letter from a Piqua resident entitled “Replace dairy with plant based products” I am appalled at the misconceptions written. As a dairy farmer and mother myself, I would like to explain a few of our practices to clear this up.

Yes we do take the calves from their mother after she has cleaned them after birth, we do this to protect the calf from ingesting germs that occur naturally in their environment. The calf is given their own mothers colostrum milk after she is cleaned properly. Yes cows are going to bellow occasionally, but for the safety of the calf they are separated and taken care of by us. We DO NOT sell them for veal calves, but raise them and care for them through adulthood.

Our herd, and many dairies, have their animals outside on pasture during good weather, which is better on their hooves and legs and over all health. God intended for man to utilize the animals to sustain man’s life. We DO NOT just send them off after four years to be made into hamburgers; on our farm, we have cows six years and older up to 10 or 12 years. Yes we use antibiotics for sick cows but those cows CAN NOT be sold for meat nor the MILK be sold for consumption. The milk is disposed of safely until test are run to make sure NO antibiotics are present.

More and more people are finding out that whole milk and dairy products are good for the human body when eaten in the right percentage compared to the rest of their diet.

So PLEASE, before you make a decision to discredit the dairy industry, do a little research.

Marlene Steinke, president

Shelby County Dairymans Association

Anna

References:

Nationaldairyfarm.com

Nationaldairycouncil.org

Drink-milk.com

Dairygood.org