Personally, I have always thought it would do us all well to eat like a dairy cow. Now I’m not talking about consuming 360 cheeseburgers and a bathtub full of water, which is the equivalent of what a cow eats each day. But I definitely feel like there are some aspects to how cows are fed that are appealing to better human health.

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Karen Lee
Managing Editor / Progressive Dairy

Perfectly balanced

First of all, most dairy rations today are perfectly balanced. Each herd has its own nutritionist, sometimes a team of nutritionists, to determine what the cows should eat each day. The ration focuses on macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fats – but also the micronutrients most humans don’t take the time to count.

Already prepared

Most of the cows in Canada do not graze. They don’t have to go looking for their next meal. Instead the farmer is the head chef and prepares a fresh batch each day, sometimes multiple times a day.

Plated meal

Not only does the farmer take the time to prepare the meal, they are also kind enough to serve it pen-side or even right in front of the tiestall. Wouldn’t it be nice to sit down and have a freshly prepared meal placed right in front of you? Some readers may already have that luxury. If so, be sure to thank the cook.

Controlled portions

While there is some overeating that occurs on dairy farms, most producers try to keep a close eye on intakes to prevent cows from overindulging. Cows are usually given just enough, maybe a little bit more, to get them to their next meal.

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If only our holiday dinner tables were set with proper portions, instead of enough to get you until dinner the next day, we’d probably be making different resolutions come the first of the year.

While this type of meal doesn’t occur in most households, there is a small segment of the population that relishes in this dining experience. Many times professional athletes have their own nutritionists and are provided with prepared, plated and portion-controlled meals – especially during the season.

Of course, more than the rest of us, these athletes rely on the performance of their bodies. When you think on it, the cow is a performance animal. Cows require proper nutrition, delivered in such a way for optimum intake, so that they may perform at their best, just like professional athletes.

Since most diet recommendations in one way or another mirror what high-performance individuals are focused on, we really should all eat more like a cow. Well, at least it’s food for thought.  PD

Karen Lee