Encyclopaedia of Dairy Science and Technology

Dairy Technology deals with all methods of handling milk from production and consumption and includes processing, packaging, storage, transport and physical distribution. Based on the sciences of biochemistry, bacteriology, and nutrition, Dairy Technology employs the principles of engineering. Its objectives are to prevent spoilage, improve quality, increase shelf-life, and make milk palatable and safe for human consumption. Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats, sheep and camels, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale. Most dairy farms sell the male calves born by their cows, usually for veal production, or breeding depending on quality of the bull calf, rather than raising non-milk-producing stock. Many dairy farms also grow their own feed, typically including corn, and hay. This is fed directly to the cows, or is stored as silage for use during the winter season. Centralized dairy farming as we understand it primarily developed around villages and cities, where residents were unable to have cows of their own due to a lack of grazing land. Near the town, farmers could make some extra money on the side by having additional animals and selling the milk in town. The dairy farmers would fill barrels with milk in the morning and bring it to market on a wagon. This important and comprehensive encyclopaedia covers, in depth, the most important recent advances in dairy technology. This encyclopaedia is an essential purchase for all dairy technologists worldwide, whether in academic research and teaching, or within food companies.