Cattle Grain Fed In Thailand?

[direx12]

Hi, I'm getting a lot of raw milk from Decheeso (Art Cafe) in Chiang Mai and wondering if their cows are grass fed.

Is grain feeding a common practice in Thailand like the US or maybe it isn't practiced here at all like New Zealand? I tried calling but couldn't get anywhere.

Thanks

[Maizefarmer]

Nope - but Decheeso produce a lot of cheese, which explains the raw milk, and more than likely the dairy diet is adjusted for cheese production, though I doubt it would be a grain only diet - would cost to much to maintain cattle on a grain diet in Thailand. Grass and fresh forage - yes, common in Thailand, though most dairy farmers switch to dried forage and silage in the winter - unless they have the space and can aford to irrigate (which is not many farmers)

Bear in mind also that raw milk (and its all I drink - I milk 200 odd cows a day - twice) has a very very different taste to homogenised and/or pasturised milk - both processes which break down fat & protein content in retailed Thai milk -which by and large starts off with a much lower butterfat/milk fat count than does milk produced in the USA or Europe, and is also mixed with dried milk product (yes - powdered milk is mixed into fresh milk for retail as "fresh milk" in Thailand).

And most Thai's haven't a clue what 100% milk tastes like because they have never had a chance to make much of a comparison.

Edited December 13, 2009 by Maizefarmer

[direx12]

Nope - but Decheeso produce a lot of cheese, which explains the raw milk, and more than likely the dairy diet is adjusted for cheese production, though I doubt it would be a grain only diet - would cost to much to maintain cattle on a grain diet in Thailand. Grass and fresh forage - yes, common in Thailand, though most dairy farmers switch to dried forage and silage in the winter - unless they have the space and can aford to irrigate (which is not many farmers)

So what does this mean? Decheeso doesn't feed only grass b/c they produce a lot of cheese? Thanks for your response