Peggy visits a dairy farm and a milk processing plant to learn how milk gets from a cow to the store. Milking techniques and milk processing have changed a lot since Christopher Columbus brought the first cattle to the Western Hemisphere in 1493. Advancements such as automatic milking machines and computers have improved milk production, safety, and availability.
Milk production begins with the cow.
A cow initially chews just enough to swallow. Later, the cow burps up small amounts of food and chews it again. Food provides cows with protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and bulk. It is also the raw material that makes milk. However, to begin producing milk, a cow must first give birth.