How many litres of milk does each cow give?

That depends on the stage of lactation. Soon after giving birth the cow will produce as if providing all the nutrition for her calf. So within just a few weeks she will reach her peak in production. Some of our cows give as much as 50 litres a day. She will give us more in the morning than in the afternoon and curiously, her afternoon milk will have a higher milk fat.

How long does the cow have her calf with her?

The cow feeds the calf then we separate them within a few hours. This way, the bonding is minimal and the cow returns to her 'family' and settles quickly into the herd routine. We have found over the years this is the least traumatic for both cow and calf.

Do you keep all the calves?
Some of the heifer calves (females) are selected to be reared by us as replacement stock. The others are sold at different ages according to market opportunities. About half would be sold each year as calves just a few days old. A farmer is always limited to working within the capacity of available land and feed.

What do you do with the rabbits?

We sell them to guests, and the remainder go to a couple of pet shops who love to have Macka's Farm rabbits to sell because they are so well loved and quiet to handle.

Do you treat the milk with anything?

No, our job is to cool the milk to 3 degrees c as quickly as possible and to hold it there until the tanker comes to collect it. The tanker driver takes a drip sample of the entire delivery whilst pumping the milk into the tanker. The sample is subjected to many tests and we receive that report per fax within 12 hours. On arrival at the factory the milk is pastuerised, which inceases the shelf life of the milk by killing many simple pathogens. This is simply heating to just below boiling point and being cooled very quickly.

Does milk have oil added?

'White' milk as it is known has no additives at all. The many options on the market of low fat, high calcium etc are all created by manipulation of the natural product.

Do you give your cows hormones?

All our purchased cow feeds are certified so we know exactly what energy, fibre, protein etc we are feeding the cows and calves. High production in cows and growth rates in young stock are all achieved by balanced diets and careful monitoring of progress. Hormones have no place in our farming practices and it seems unlikely with the 'family farm' environment which is predominent in Australia. The family farm is at risk of extinction in the future due to our 'profit driven' mentality. Who knows where that will lead us.

Do you use any drugs on your farm?

We use a similar range of drugs used by any family eg antibiotics, minerals, vitamins and some vaccinations. Withholding periods are clearly marked and carefully observed.