Effects Of Homogenization and Pasteurization Of Milk

Veterinarian:  Effects Of Homogenization and Pasteurization Of Milk

Subject:  Fwd: Effects of Homogenization and Pasteurization of milk
From:  Earl D Smith  xxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
To:  xxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx
Date:  Mon, 18 Dec 2000 17:13:33 -0700

Earl D Smith DVM
163 Cedar Circle,
Parachute, Colorado  81635
Phone 970-285-9029

       I am a retired Veterinarian; I doctored horses and cattle for 25 years and then I did only the Small Animals.  The article I read in Discover Magazine on milk brought back many memories.  When the farmers kept a milk cow on the farm to feed  the weaner calves, there were few digestive problems.

      But when no dairy cows were available they went to the local store and got “Store Bought” milk for the calves to drink. Soon the calves died with diarrhea.

       I thought milk was milk but I soon found out that the Pasteurized and Homogenized milk could not be digested by these calves.  Homogenization broke the fat globule into such a small bit that it wouldn’t curd in the stomach and passed directly into the small intestine where it created severe inflammation.  I called it toxic enteritis. I learned to treat these cases with Goats milk which has the largest fat globule of any milk found on the farm.  The calves made a quick recovery if the patient  hadn’t gotten too debilitated.

         I too drank a lot of milk when we milked cows on the farm.  I never Had any adverse effects from drinking a quart or more at one time.  When I went on to college and I was using “store bought milk” I got so I drank very little milk and what  I did drink reacted in my system like a poison.  I was told I was allergic to milk.  Now 50 years later, a friend, who has a milk cow out in the country, asked me if I could use some milk.  I accepted and for three years now I can drink milk like I did when I lived on the farm.  I have no adverse side effects.  This milk is raw milk, also not Homogenized.  The only other question I have to answer has to do with the effect pasteurization has on the natural enzymes.  The destruction of these during the pasteurization process could effect the digestibility of milk. Now that I am retired I have plenty of time to reflect on such things.  What do you think?

Sincerely Yours,
Earl D. Smith, DVM