By Jessica Domel

Cool off with a bowl of ice cream. Delight in a glass of milk. Savor the yogurt.

While you’re tantalizing your taste buds with your chosen treat, glance over these Dairy Month facts that can’t be beat.

*Love ice cream? It takes about 12 pounds of milk (about a gallon and a half) to make one gallon of the icy concoction.

*As a comparison, it takes over 21 pounds of whole milk to make ONE pound of butter.

*To produce six to 10 gallons of milk a day, a dairy cow eats about 90 pounds of feed a day, depending on her size.

*Holstein cattle, which are known for their black and white markings, are the most common dairy cattle in the U.S.

They’re joined by other breeds like the Guernsey, which is brown and white; the Jersey, which has more butterfat in its milk; the Brown Swiss; and the milking Shorthorn.

*Texas is the third-largest milk-producing state in the nation! In fact, milk production in Texas during the first quarter of 2022 totaled just over four billion pounds, up 4% from the previous quarter and 5% more than the first quarter of last year. The average number of milk cows in Texas last quarter was 634,000 head, up 17,000 from a year ago.

Texas dairies provide more than our favorite snacks. They also make a huge impact on the Texas economy each year.

And don’t forget, milk products are part of a healthy diet.

So whether you prefer a cool glass of flavored milk, the white variety or a frozen sweet, let’s raise a glass to National Dairy Month–an annual treat!