[Fieldfare]

Hi all- is it safe to drink raw, unpasteurised milk from a commercial dairy herd?

[robert waddell]

is it your own herd   or are you getting it from the farmer
the pasteurising kills the bugs that are in the milk   also the microbiological count is at a higher level  allowed in milk going to pasteurising
you used to get gold top milk but have been out of milk production for over 35 years so things have changed

[Rosemary]

Green top was unpasteurised; Gold top is Channel Island milk and still available.

It's illegal to sell unpasteurised milk in Scotland, but not in England, I think.

I worked on a dairy farm 30 years ago and drank the milk from the tank. Never did me any harm

[SallyintNorth]

Gold top is Channel Island milk and still available.

Our Waitrose sell it.    It's not homogenised, either, so the cream rises to the top, like it should.

It's illegal to sell unpasteurised milk in Scotland, but not in England, I think.

In England it is legal to sell it on the farm to the end user but it cannot be sold through shops, or delivered.

I worked on a dairy farm 30 years ago and drank the milk from the tank. Never did me any harm

If you subscribe to the view that any part of the body needs to be exercised to be healthy, then those of us drinking unpasteurised milk have healthy immune systems!  (I do, do, and have  )
I am not sure I would drink raw milk from a farm tank in an area where TB is prevalent...  there may be additional rules about that, I don't know.

[VSS]

Sally, it is only legal to sell it if all the environmental health hoops have been jumped through - and they are very tough on farms that want to sell raw milk. They have to be cleaner than clean.

[robert waddell]

vss  that is the bacterial counts have to be much lower            anybody know what the levels are both for pasteurising milk and raw milk

[YorkshireLass]

I have an order coming in tomorrow, I'm happy that the high hygiene standards will reduce risks to a minimum, and I'm curious about the differences in taste, composition, and general effects on the body (shan't post lots of links unless someone's interested).

It's being delivered straight to me from the farm, if that is significant.

[Hopewell]

One potential issue with drinking unpasteurised milk is TB. Any herd with a TB reactor would be prevented from selling unpasteurised milk, but cattle TB seems to be more widespread than it used to be. Pasteurisation was introduced at about the same time as BCG vaccination and together had a major impact on the occurrence of the disease amongst people.

[SallyintNorth]

It's being delivered straight to me from the farm, if that is significant.

As far as I know it's illegal;  I would edit your post if you want to stay friends with that farmer!

[suziequeue]

http://www.naturalfoodfinder.co.uk/unpasteurised-raw-milk-uk

There is a brisk delivery network in England and Wales with at least one farm offering online ordering and delivery

[robert waddell]

yep very interesting    i like the bit that states we prefer jersey or Guernsey cows    yet Holstein are in abundance
just an observation

[YorkshireLass]

Spooky coincidence: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/23/raw-milk-revolution

(better get in before the price jumps!)

[robert waddell]

if only it were as easy as the article states  it cannot be good grass or silage he is feeding to get that small amount of cream   a lot more than a skeletal Holstein admittedly or am i just not getting the glass half empty or half full bit

[Rosemary]

Strange that Scotland is TB free, yet we can't sell raw milk. In some parts of England, it's rife and they can.

Certainly looking forward to ours :-)

[YorkshireLass]

Is there a Berwick-based smuggling ring...?