Dairy Leaders of Tomorrow

Purpose

Since 1944, the dairy industry has undergone numerous changes due to advancements in technology and management techniques. With the advancement of processing, milk is now marketed in new methods to new audiences. What are some new dairy products that you have noticed in the grocery store over the past 5 years?

In addition, farm numbers have decreased while the size of individual farms has increased. Cows can now produce more milk more efficiently with fewer resources. What science and technology has allowed this advancement to occur? At the conclusion of this lesson, you will be able to discuss trends in the dairy industry since 1944, identify dairy processing techniques, and graph a dairy trend to share with your classmates.

Materials

Internet Access Then and Now Power Point (1 copy per group) Dairy Timeline Cards Graph Paper Colored Pencils/Markers Pen/Pencil

Procedure

Part One—Then and Now

1. To look back at important changes that have occurred in the dairy industry, review the Then and Now Power Point with your group.

Lesson 1.2: What are Important Trends within the Dairy Industry?

2. Write down 3 changes that have occurred on dairy farms from 1944 to 2014 and reasons why these changes have occurred.

Changes Reason(s) Why

1.

2.

3.

Part Two—Dairy Industry Timeline

There were many individuals that contributed to the development of the dairy industry through research, trial & error, and perseverance. Many discoveries built upon the work of others before them.

1. Your group will be given a set of Dairy Timeline Cards that outline major advances in the dairy industry beginning in 1611.

2. Some cards will have a date while others will have a major event/discovery. Working with your group, you must correctly match each event/discovery to the correct date and create a timeline.

3. You may utilize any internet or textbook resources made available to you by your instructor.

4. Record the information from the timeline in the chart below after your instructor has checked your work.

Year Event/Discovery

Part Three—Graph a Dairy Trend

1. Utilizing the Power Point from Part 1, choose a trend that you would like to investigate further. Examples could include total milk production, total cow numbers, or amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Write the trend you will graph below.

_____________________________________________________

3. Utilizing data from the PowerPoint and/or internet resources, provide a graph of data that shows changes in your chosen trend from 1944 to the present.

Guidelines

a. Your graph must have data points for a minimum of 5 years. (i.e. 1944, year x, year y, year z, 2014)

b. Your graph can be a line graph or bar graph.c. The graph must contain a main title and labels for the

horizontal and vertical axis.

4. Turn in your graph as directed by your instructor.

Conclusion Questions

1. How many cows were in the United States in 1944 and 2007? What are 2 reasons milk production has increased since 1944?

2. What is the definition of pasteurization, homogenization, and bovine somatotrophin (BST)?

3. What were 2 marketing campaigns utilized by the dairy industry to promote milk consumption?