I am responding to this trending article, “Why You Should Stop Drinking Milk” because when I read it, I was dumbfounded at the fact someone could be so uninformed. I would recommend reading the article before you read this one in order to fully understand my position.

I will not touch on every point the writer discussed, rather I will only discuss the point I find completely idiotic.

I’m not writing this because I disagree with vegans, those who can’t physically drink milk, or those who just don't want to consume it, but rather I am writing this to make sure if people choose not to drink milk, they have correct information about it, including the farmers and the incredible animals that produce it.

No, You’re not drinking pus.

A glass of milk does not contain disturbing ingredients such as feces or pus. Although some milk does contain Bovine growth hormone (a hormone given to cows to increase milk production, if you don’t want it in your milk, drink organic. Organic farmers are not allowed to give their cattle this rBST.

Articles like this one have certainly played their part in spreading false information. Claiming that mastitis, a dangerous udder infection, runs rampant in all dairy cattle is just as bad as saying if you have sex you will get AID’s. Certainly that isn’t a true statement either, and there are ways to prevent getting AID's, just like there are ways farmers protect and care for their cows. Farmers use Iodine to clean the udders so feces is not present on the teats, in the machine and therefore not present in the milk. Also, pasteurization exists for a reason so claiming that this highly effective process doesn’t work is also tanking the reputation of hard workers who strictly follow FDA guidelines.

Please use an alternate source for you information instead of relying on the completely false information spread by http://nutritionfacts.org/2011/09/08/how-much-pus-...

Cows milk isn’t meant for humans…

…But neither is goat’s milk. Do you realize how many products are made from goat’s milk. Where is that argument? Animals have the ability to adapt and receive milk from other mothers if the mother dies, so really a mother’s milk is designed for infants. Granted, humans are the only mammals that drink milk past infancy but it isn’t going to kill us. When you think about it, other animals have the capability of drinking milk into adulthood too, if not weaned, or due to other environmental factors.

The health benefits are not misleading…

Cow’s milk contains fat, protein, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamins B2, and B12, all of which the body needs. You mention how there was a study done that claims there is a positive correlation between milk consumption and bone fractures. Besides the fact that this study does not take into consideration the 3rd variable (any other outside factors), this study is incredibly outdated. I have drank an average of at least a cup of 2% milk, if not more, a day for my entire life. I have broken 3 bones in my life, doing pretty stupid things. There are plenty of other accidental incidents that can break bones. Milk is not the reason why you broke your wrist falling off a bike, trust me, I know.

It’s NOT a nightmare for cows.

If you knew anything about cows, you would understand that if the dairy industry experience was a complete nightmare, the cows would not be healthy, would not produce good quality milk, would not be able to carry a calf for a full 9 months or even at all, and they would not be able to live very long. A farmers first concern is to make sure their cows are comfortable, safe and healthy. If you think otherwise, you are horribly mistaken. No the cows are not raped and that is not a term that should be tossed around in a poorly written argument. They are not forced into a “rape rack”, and responsible farmers would appreciate if you don't use such crazy terms.

My father is an A.I. Technician (artificial inseminator) and they go to great measures to guarantee that the cows are A, ready to reproduce, and B, comfortable in the process. Also, the Technicians track the birth cycle and the menstruation cycle very closely so that the cow conceives on the first try, not the tenth. Cows are biologically designed to bare children, just as human women are and believe it or not, artificial insemination is safer for cows; that’s why it’s used.

A cow’s babies are not violently ripped away from them, rather they are given time to bond, and lick them to encourage movement. Then the mother is milked and that milk is given to her calf ONLY. It's not given to us humans because this first milk, the colostrum, is filled with important nutrients the calf needs.

The dead carcasses are not turned into hamburger meat because dairy cows are not meant for meat. Let's say for arguments sake that the carcass was turned into meat. Usually the cow is dead for too long before the meat can be harvested properly and that would make for a very inedible hamburger.

This topic is really not that controversial if given the correct information. Either you believe animals should be domesticated or you don’t. If you have the correct information, which the writer of “Why You Should Stop Drinking Milk” clearly did not, there is no argument for the mistreatment of cows. There are farmers that lack the proper skills to be good farmers, however, the overwhelming majority of farmers treat their animals with exceptional care.

If you don't want to drink milk, that is totally acceptable, everyone has their opinions and are entitled to do what they please. But before you completely trash the dairy industry, please reach out to reliable sources and think critically about the information you find. Not everything you read is true and your best source of information is from the farmers themselves, so please reach out and find the CORRECT information.