|
Virginia Dairy Statistics
 Dairy Industry in Virginia |
| Milk cows on farms |
102,000 head |
| Total milk produced |
1.8 billion pounds |
| Value of milk produced |
$267.4 million |
| Annual average milk per cow |
17,363 pounds |
Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service
(Most recent figures, 2006) |
| Virginia National Dairy Cow Ranking |
| 22nd in number of dairy cows |
| Source: VASS (Most recent figures, 2006) |
| Top Dairy Counties (Ranked by total number of cows) |
| County |
Cattle |
| 1 |
Rockingham |
23,000 |
| 2 |
Franklin |
9,100 |
| 3 |
Augusta |
8,000 |
| 4 |
Fauquier |
4,500 |
| 5 |
Wythe |
4,100 |
| 6 |
Smyth |
2,900 |
| 7 |
Washington |
2,900 |
| 8 |
Pittsylvania |
2,800 |
| 9 |
Culpeper |
2,500 |
| 10 |
Amelia |
2,400 |
| Source: NASS (Most recent figures, 2006) |
| Milk Does a Body Good |
| Dietary recommendations call for children to consume 800 milligrams of calcium a day for 4-8-year olds and 1,300 milligrams a day for 9-18-year olds. That translates into three to four servings of milk or other dairy foods every day. |
| Milk contains nine essential nutrients, making it one of the most nutrient-rich beverages. An 8-ounce serving of milk provides 30 percent of the daily value of calcium. |
| Source: National Dairy Council |
| Dairy Myths Revealed |
| Myth: Individuals who have difficulty digesting lactose should avoid milk and other dairy foods.
Fact: Research indicates that individuals with low levels of lactase, the enzyme necessary to digest lactose, can consume the recommended number of servings of milk and other dairy foods. Moreover, consuming lactose containing foods such as milk may improve tolerance to lactose.
|
| Myth: Drinking milk contributes to kidney stones in individuals at risk for this condition.
Fact: On the contrary, the calcium in milk actually can help protect against kidney stones. A four-year prospective study involving more than 45,000 male health professionals with no history of kidney stones found that the men who consumed a calcium-rich diet experienced a 44 percent lower risk of symptomatic kidney stones than men who consumed 516mg of calcium a day.
|
| Myth: Calcium supplements or calcium-fortified foods are good substitutes for milk.
Fact: Food is considered to be the best source of nutrients for health. The American Medical Association has recognized milk and other dairy foods as an important source of calcium for Americans. Without consuming dairy foods, it is difficult to meet recommended intakes of calcium and vitamin D.
|
| Source: National Dairy Council |
| Did You Know? |
| The dairy cow with black and white spots is called a Holstein. Four other breeds of dairy cows include Jerseys, Guernseys, Brown Swiss and Ayrshire. |
| Milk and dairy products are among the most highly regulated and monitored food products in America and are subject to as many as 17 safety, quality and sanitation inspections before reaching a grocery store. |
| The expiration date on a carton of milk is used as a guideline for grocery retailers, and ensures that you are being sold a fresh product. Once you bring milk home, it remains fresh for seven to
10 days beyond the expiration date if refrigerated at 31-41 F.
|
| A cow’s udder can hold 25-50 pounds of milk.
|
| A cow produces 90 glasses of milk each day and 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.
|
| Most of Virginia’s dairy farms are small, family farms. Seventy percent of its milk is produced on farms with fewer than 200 cows. |
| Source: Southeast United Dairy Industry Association |
|
|
|
|
