FAQ.

Animal Welfare

What Is your attitude towards animal welfare?
As a certified Australian Demeter Bio-dynamic dairy farm, here at Marrook Farm we know that the welfare of our cows is integral to our holistic system. We take the well being of our herd very seriously, and continually monitor and implement strategies that keep them nurtured and healthy with the utmost integrity.
What happens to your cows when they no longer produce their quota of milk?
We do not have a quota of milk production per cow, the milking life of a cow is based on her overall condition.
HOW ARE THE CALVES RAISED?
New calves are moved to the calf pen after approximately a week of feeding from their mothers.  We keep the mothers in sight of their calves for some months to reduce stress and our calves are fed fresh milk through teat feeders to mimic jaw development and saliva production as would occur with feeding from the udder.
Our bull calves are reared the same way on farm for 6 to 8 months.
What do you feed your cows?
We feed our cows on mixed, open pastures and silage prepared from our own paddocks.  Over 90 percent of the girls’ diet is derived from on farm. In extenuating circumstances, such as drought or floods, we source certified organic/bio-dynamic feed. We do not feed soy or animal by products to our girls. We feed minimal grain; a small scoop is used in the milking bails as the cows are milked.
Product
Is your milk pasteurised?
By regulation, we must pasteurise our milk for all products. However, regulations have recently changed and it is now legal to make some types of hard cheese without pasteurising the milk and our Bulga cheese falls into this category.
Where can I purchase your yoghurt and cheeses?
Please see our stockists and market listings, located under the 'more info' tab above
Is your milk homogenised?
No, we do not homogenise our milk.  This maintains the natural fat globule structure in the milk which means the cream floats to the top.
Do you add milk solids or thickeners?
No, our yoghurt is made with simply milk and culture. We do not add thickeners or milk solids/milk powder.
Do you add sugar?
We use only natural sweeteners, honey or maple syrup, in our flavoured yoghurts.

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