ALL ABOUT BRAUM'S COWS AND BRAUM'S MILK

A long, long time ago, if you wanted milk when you traveled, you'd have to bring your cow with you! Things sure have changed since then! Today, fresh milk, ice cream and other dairy products are as close as your neighborhood Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store.

COWS
Have you ever had a glass of Braum's Milk or a dip of Braum's Ice Cream and wondered what made it taste so good? Braum's has a secret ingredient. It involves hard work, attention to every detail, and lots and lots of cows!

The cow has been called "Nature's Own Milk Factory". All mammals produce milk (like sheep, goats, even reindeer), but it's the cow that gives the most milk by far, providing over 90% of the world's milk. Cows that are raised mainly for their milk are known as "dairy cattle". But this group isn't exclusive for cows only. There are several other members of the "dairy cattle" group including dairy bulls, calves, heifers, yearlings and steers. "Cow" is the name given to a mature female. "Bull" is the name given to a mature male. "Calf" is the offspring of a cow and a bull. "Yearling" is the name given to a calf when it turns one year old. "Heifer" is any cow under three years old that has not had a calf yet.

BREEDS
There are five major breeds of cows, each with its own special characteristics. Different types of cows produce different types of milk. Many of these cows were named after the area where they originated.

HOLSTEIN - FRIESIAN COWS
Some say that Holsteins came from West Germany and some say they came from the Netherlands. They are the only black and white breed of dairy cattle. They weight about 1500 pounds each and are the biggest of all dairy cows. Holsteins give more milk than any of the other breeds. Braum's dairy herd is made up entirely of Holstein cows.

JERSEY COWS
Jersey is the smallest dairy cow named after an island called "Jersey" located in the English Channel. Jersey's eat less and give less milk than the other breeds do. They are fawn-colored and some have white markings.

GUERNSEY COWS
Named after another of the islands in the English Channel. Guernsey's are yellowish, brownish or reddish fawn in color.

BROWN SWISS COWS
Brown Swiss came from Switzerland and are different shades of brown with black hoofs and white horns with black tips.

AYRSHIRE
Ayrshire are from Scotland and are red or brown and white spotted.

BRAUM'S COWS
There are a total of about 25,000 Holstein cows in Braum's dairy herd. This includes the milking herd (about 10,000 cows) which makes its home at Braum's main dairy farm in Tuttle, Oklahoma and the "replacement heifers" making their home of several of the Braum farms and ranches throughout Oklahoma and Texas. A "replacement heifer" will join the milking herd and eventually replace the cows who are dry (who stop making milk).

It's said that if a cow is happy, she'll work even harder for you. We believe that! That's why we give Braum's cows extra special care and attention…from choosing what they eat, to where they sleep. With proper feeding, housing and care, Braum's dairy herd produces milk that is consistent in both quality and quantity…and tastes great, too!