When did humans domesticate cows?
The first steps in the domestication of cow’s ancestors took place simultaneously in two regions – in the Middle East and along the banks of the Indus River. As a matter of fact, according to the latest research by geneticists, all currently existing cows are descended from about a hundred domesticated animals that grazed about 10 thousand years ago. In this way, a wild bull, tur, turned into a family cow about 10 thousand years ago.
When was the refrigerator invented?
In 1756 William Cullen, a Scottish physician, chemist, and agriculturalist, demonstrated a method of artificial refrigeration on the public. The method was that rapid heating of a liquid to gas led to cooling. This principle is used even these days. But only in 1913, the first electric home refrigerator went on sale.
So how did people preserve raw milk before the invention of the refrigerator?
The most ancient refrigerator was an icehouse, a room below the ground with the roof at ground level. People stored snow and ice cut from lakes and rivers there. In the early 1800s, the smart way to transport dairy products was using an icebox. Its name, «refrigerator», was patented in 1803. But is it right to say that milk preservation depended only on ice supply?
What’s the best way to preserve raw milk?
Milk is a highly perishable product. Pasteurization of raw milk slightly extends its shelf life. Of course, you may also preserve milk by freezing, condensing, dehydrating, or even canning it.
You can also make some dairy products out of milk, such as butter or cheese. The fermentation process will turn the milk into yogurt, kefir, sour cream, or sour milk.
That is to say, the best way to preserve milk is to process it or to convert it into other products with a longer shelf life. Raw milk gets fermented by itself, making a precious product – clabber. You can use it for cooking and baking, feeding your animals or plants. Clabber is an excellent component for homemade masks for skin and hair revival.
