- It takes more than 21 pounds of whole milk to make one pound of butter.

- The natural yellow color of butter comes mainly from the beta-carotene found in the grass cows eat.

- More than one-third of all milk produced each year in the U.S. is used to manufacture cheese.

- More ice cream is sold on Sunday than any other day of the week.

- It takes 12 pounds of whole milk to make one gallon of ice cream.

- Illinois dairy farms produce 1.98 billion gallons of milk annually.

- In Illinois, the average dairy cow will produce 6.5 gallons of milk per day over the course of a typical year. That's more than 2,387 gallons a year.

Source: Midwest Dairy Association

Celebrate Dairy Month by making your own butter. Here's how to do it:

1)Place a half-pint of room temperature whipping or heavy cream in a plastic or glass jar with a lid. One half pint of cream will make about one-quarter pound butter.

2) Shake the jar for five to ten minutes.

3) When a lump of butter forms, pour the contents of the jar into a colander to separate the butter from the buttermilk.

4) Eat the butter on bread or crackers. A pinch of salt can be added.

Source: Illinois Ag in the Classroom - Dairy Ag Mag

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