Posted: September 16th, 2017

Lab 7 Virtual field trip to a dairy farm

Lab 7 Virtual field trip to a dairy farm

For this exercise, you will be viewing a web video of a virtual field trip. The answers to the questions are imbedded in the virtual trip to the Dairy Farm. Go to http://exp.lcc.edu/users/biol120/weblog/7b443/Dairy_Farm.html.After viewing the virtual field trip, answer the following questions.Drop your file in the appropriate drop box. Also, note that you can visit the dairy farm on MSU campus during daylight hours if you wish! They have a nice handout that gives you a self-guided tour, and it’s sure an interesting smell that you can’t get over the internet!

1.    Why is dairy farming an important type of agriculture in northern areas?

2.    What role do microorganisms play in a cow’s digestive system?

3.    How can today’s farmers supply such an abundance of food for Americans?

4.    What is silage? What process destroys disease organisms in a silo?

5.    Name two waste products that can be fed to cattle.

6.    What nutrient in cow waste causes eutrophication in our waterways?

7.    What often happens when farmers spread cow manure on their fields during the winter months? Why would the farmer not wait until spring?

8.    Why is the new type of barn (the free-stall barn) better for cattle than the older style barns?

For questions 9 and 10, visit this website from Cornell University:http://www.milkfacts.info/Click on the “Processing” link on the top of the page.

9.    Describe the steps that are taken to bring milk from the cow to the table.

10.    What do the terms “pasteurized” and “homogenized” mean?

For the question 11, look at the “Dairy Index” section at the bottom of this web page produced by Vermont Dairy: http://www.vermontdairy.com/learn/facts-and-figures/

11.    How much does a gallon of milk cost the consumer?(Check your local grocery store)
How much moneyis an average dairy farmer paid per gallon of milk produced?
How much does it cost an average dairy farmer to produce a gallon of milk?

12.    It is estimated that American households waste approximately 30% of their food.  Do you think your household is above or below that value? Comment.