This week the news of a whole bunch of Skittles candy falling off a truck and covering a road not far from our farm spread like wildfire. The candy was destined to be fed to cows and that raised a whole bunch of questions on why farmers would feed their cows candy and if it was healthy to feed cows candy. Thankfully my dear friend Laura Daniels who is not only a dairy farmer but also a dairy cow nutritionist, did a video explaining why in the world cows would be fed skittles. Take a few minutes and learn about the amazing dairy cow!
To learn more about what cows eat in general, you can read my post HERE.
Pierre Lebeaupin
Not only is she a cow nutritionist and a dairy cow farmer, but also a great teacher. I’m an unrepentant urbanite who only has faint notions of cattle feeding, but she manages to hold my attention and explain the subject in a way I understand without any visual aid, just her face to the camera. Kudos.
Kathleen Falls
Really enjoyed your educational info…and loved seeing the beautiful cows! Thank you – Kathleen
TERRI OPGENORTH
What a really adorable lady! I was wondering about the Skittle thing and now I know. Thanks Carrie and Laura!
Barb
great video, I enjoyed it, but there will be a lot of kickback from the paleo types. Good luck on that one!!
Clyde Lane
Thank you for helping educate non-farmers about ruminant nutrition and how candy can be used in a ration. I would ask that you do some additional reading on diabetes. Eating too much sugar does not cause diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Type 2 (adult onset) is often found in individuals that are overweight which the consumption of too many sweets does contribute to. Once an individual is diagnosed with diabetes they must limit their sugar consumption of sugar because the body does not produce enough insulin to use the glucose produced.
Like you I have a degree in ruminant nutrition (PhD). I also have a wife and two children with Type 1 diabetes and I have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.
Keep up the good work. Agriculture needs a lot of good spokesmen..
dairycarrie
Hi Clyde, you’re right about diabetes not being caused by sugar. Laura wasn’t inferring that she believed that to be the case but was responding to many people who were worried cows would get diabetes from eating the candy.
Kate Beever
This is so awesome!! Thanks for making this fun and informational video.
sally anderson
I really enjoyed your excellent explanation on why you add some candy to feed your cattle. It also was a very cute video with the cows included