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Holstein Cattle

Holstein cattle

For other uses of the word, see Holstein ---- Holstein The Holstein, or Friesian as it is known in the UK, is a cattle breed used in dairy farming. Developed in northern Germany (Holstein) and the province Friesland, The Netherlands, the Holstein cattle is sometimes also known as Friesian Holstein or Holstein Friesians. It was imported to the United States of America in the 1860's. Thanks to the breed's flexibility, productivity, and economic production of milk, the Holstein is now the most common breed of dairy cattle around the world. The Holstein's most outstanding characteristic is its combination of a high volume of milk production at an acceptable milk fat percentage. Typical Holstein milk is 2.5% to 3% milk fat (the Jersey, another popular dairy breed, produces about half the volume of milk per cow per day, but at 4 to 4.5% milk fat). The stereotypical cow in western entertainment and commercials, an average Holstein cow in the United States produces about 28,000 pounds (12,700 kg) of milk per annum. This is roughly equivalent to 3,250 U.S. gallons (12,300 litres). Most Holsteins weigh 90 pounds (40 kg) at birth. Holstein cows will mature to approximately 1,400 pounds (600 kg), while Holstein bulls will reach nearly 2,000 pounds (900 kg). The primary color pattern for this breed is black and white, but a red and white variety, called "red holstein" is also maintained. In late 2003 a cow of this breed was found to have Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Mad Cow Disease near the city of Mabton, Washington, in the United States. BSE, a brain wasting disease, can afflict all cattle, not just the Holstein variety, and is thought to also affect sheep. Under rare circumstances BSE can be transmitted to humans, where it is termed variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Category:Cattle breeds Category:German loanwords ja:ホルスタイン

Holstein (disambiguation)

- For the breed of cattle, see Holstein.
- For the breed of horse, see Holstein.
- For the region in Germany, see Holstein.

Cattle

:"Cow" redirects here, for other uses, see Cow (disambiguation).
Cattle (called cows in vernacular usage) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. They are raised as livestock for meat (called beef and veal), dairy products (milk), leather and as draught animals (pulling carts, plows and the like). In some countries, such as India, they are subject to religious ceremonies and respect. It is estimated that there are 1.3 billion head of cattle in the world today [http://cattle-today.com/]. Cattle were originally identified by Carolus Linnaeus as three different species. These were Bos taurus, the European cattle, including similar types from Africa and Asia; Bos indicus, the zebu; and the extinct Bos primigenius, the aurochs. The aurochs is ancestral to both zebu and European cattle. More recently these three have increasingly been grouped as one species, sometimes using the names Bos primigenius taurus, Bos primigenius indicus and Bos primigenius primigenius. Complicating the matter is the ability of cattle to interbreed with other closely related species. Hybrid individuals and even breeds exist, not only between European cattle and zebu but also with yaks, banteng, gaur, and bison, a cross-genera hybrid. For example, genetic testing of the Dwarf Lulu breed, the only humpless "Bos taurus-type" cattle in Nepal, found them to be a mix of European cattle, zebu and yak. Cattle cannot successfully be bred with water buffalo or African buffalo. (See aurochs for the history of domestication, and zebu for peculiarities of that group.)

Terminology

zebu The word "cattle" did not originate as a name for bovine animals. It derives from the Latin caput, head, and thus originally meant "unit of livestock" or "one head". The word is closely related to "chattel" (a unit of property) and to "capital" in the sense of "property." Older English sources like King James Version of the Bible refer to livestock in general as cattle, or sometimes the archaic kine (which comes from the same English stem as cow). Additionally other species of the genus Bos are often called cattle or wild cattle. This article refers to the common modern meaning of "cattle", the European domestic bovine. Young cattle are called calves. A young male is called a bull-calf; a young female before she has calved is called a heifer (pronounced "heffer"). Male cattle bred for meat are castrated unless needed for breeding. The castrated male is then called a bullock or steer, unless kept for draft purposes, in which case it is called an ox (plural oxen), not to be confused with the related wild musk ox. If castrated as an adult, it is called a stag. An intact male is called a bull. An adult female over two years of age (approximately) is called a cow. The adjective applying to cattle is bovine. There is no singular equivalent in modern English to cattle other than the various gender and age-specific terms (though "catron" is occasionally seen as a half-serious proposal). Strictly speaking, the singular noun for the domestic bovine is ox: a bull is a male ox and a cow is a female ox. That this was once the standard name for domestic bovines is shown in placenames such as Oxford. But "ox" is no longer used in this general sense, being restricted to the sense given above. Today "cow" is probably the closest to being gender-neutral, although it is usually understood to mean female (females of other animals, such as whales or elephants, are also called cows.) To refer to a specific number of these animals without specifying their gender, it must be stated as (for example) "ten head of cattle." Some Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and Scottish farmers use the term "cattlebeast". "Neat" (horned oxen, from which "neatsfoot oil" comes from), "beef" (young ox) and "beefing" (young animal fit for slaughtering) are obsolete terms. Cattle raised for human consumption are called beef cattle. Within the beef cattle industry in parts of the United States, the older term beef (plural beeves) is still used to refer to an animal of either gender. Cows of certain breeds that are kept for the milk they give are called dairy cows. Herds are counted as, for example, "one hundred head". The term cattle itself is not a plural, but a mass noun. Thus one may refer to some cattle, but not three cattle. The word cow can also be used derogatively, when describing a person, whom one expresses a dislike for. In some countries, such as the UK, this slur is used exclusively for women whereas in others it may be used for both genders.

Biology

|mass noun |- |mass noun |{{Commons|Bos taurus{Wikibooks|Raising Cattle

Friesland

:This article is about Friesland province in the Netherlands. For other uses, see Friesland (disambiguation). Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands. Its name in the Frisian language is Fryslân, which is also its official name since 1997, and is therefore also used in official Dutch language publications. Friesland has 643,000 inhabitants (2005) and its capital is Leeuwarden (Ljouwert), with 91,000 inhabitants, in the centre of the province.

Distinguishing features

Friesland distinguishes itself from the other eleven Dutch provinces through having its own language, which is also spoken in a minor part of the province of Groningen, to the east. Closely related languages, East Frisian ("Seeltersk", which is different from "East Frisian (Ostfriesisch)", a collection of Low German dialects of East Frisia) and North Frisian, are spoken in the Saterland and in North Friesland areas in Germany, respectively. Germany] Friesland is mainly an agricultural province. The famous black and white Friesian cattle and the well known black Friesian horse originated here. Tourism, mainly on the lakes in the south west of the province, and on the islands in the Wadden Sea in the north, is an important source of income, too. The province is also famous for its speed skaters, and also for the Elfstedentocht (Eleven cities tour), a 253 kilometres ice skating tour. Another interesting feature are the many windmills. There are 195 windmills in the province of Friesland, from a total of about 1200 in the entire country.

Cities

- Leeuwarden (Ljouwert)
- Sneek (Snits)
- IJlst (Drylts)
- Sloten (Sleat)
- Stavoren (Starum)
- Hindeloopen (Hylpen)
- Workum (Warkum)
- Bolsward (Boalsert)
- Harlingen (Harns)
- Franeker (Frjentsjer)
- Dokkum (Dokkum)

Major towns

- Heerenveen (It Hearrenfean)
- Drachten (mun. Smallingerland)

Municipalities

- Achtkarspelen
- Ameland
- Boarnsterhim
- Bolsward
- Dantumadeel
- Dongeradeel
- Ferwerderadiel
- Franekeradeel
- Gaasterlân-Sleat
- Gorredijk
- Harlingen
- Heerenveen
- Het Bildt
- Kollumerland c.a.
- Leeuwarden
- Leeuwarderadeel
- Lemsterland
- Littenseradiel
- Menaldumadeel
- Nijefurd
- Ooststellingwerf
- Opsterland
- Schiermonnikoog
- Skarsterlân
- Smallingerland
- Sneek
- Terschelling
- Tytsjerksteradiel
- Vlieland
- Weststellingwerf
- Wûnseradiel
- Wymbritseradiel

External links

- [http://www.friesland.nl/ Website of the province]
- [http://www.i-friesland.com/history.html Ancient History of Friesland]
- [http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gemeentes/gemprovin.htm#F province map showing subdivision in municipalities, link for each municipality to basic data page]
- Bus maps:
- [http://www.arriva.nl/lijnenkaart/lijnennetkaart%20NoordNederlandl-juni04.pdf Map] (pdf)
- [http://www.noordned.com/Images/Content/lijnenkaart.gif Friesland]
- [http://www.arriva.nl/lijnenkaart/pages/totaal.htm northeast of the Netherlands]
- Category:NUTS 2 Statistical Regions of Europe ja:フリースラント州

The Netherlands

The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland; IPA pronunciation: /"ne:dərlant/) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands that is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden). The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. In many countries, the Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland, and even within the Netherlands itself this name is occasionally used as an acceptable translation of the country's name. However widespread, this usage is technically incorrect, as "Holland" is actually a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands, divided into two provinces. Also, the English plural form 'the Netherlands' is a remnant from times when the country was not yet independent and united. See below under 'naming conventions'. The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated and geographically low-lying countries in the world (its name literally means "low country") and is famous for its dikes, windmills, wooden shoes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its liberal policies (towards drugs and prostitution among other things) receive international attention. The country is host to the International Court of Justice. The English adjective and noun for "of or relating to the Netherlands" is "Dutch," which is also the name of the Dutch language. In the Netherlands, "Netherlands" is sometimes used as an adjective. The origin of this local usage may be that the Dutch word for "Dutch" is Nederlands and to avoid confusion with the words "Duits" (in Dutch) and "Deutsch" (in German) that refer to the country Germany and its language.

Capital

Amsterdam is the hoofdstad ("capital city"), where according to the constitution, the sovereign must be sworn in. The Hague is the Netherlands regeringszetel or residentie (seat of government, residence of the monarch). It is the seat of government, the home of the monarch, and the location of most foreign embassies.

History

:For more details on this topic, see History of the Netherlands and Dutch monarchy. Under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and king of Spain, the region was part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, which also includes most of present-day Belgium, Luxembourg, and some land of France and Germany. In 1568 the Eighty Years' War started after the entire population had been condemned to death by the Holy See and confirmed by the king, and in 1579, the northern half of the Seventeen Provinces declared itself independent and formed the Union of Utrecht, which is seen as the foundation of the modern Netherlands. Philip II, the son of Charles V, was not prepared to let them go that easily. It would not be until 1648 that Spain would recognize Dutch independence. After gaining formal independence from the Spanish Empire under King Philip IV, the Dutch grew to become one of the major seafaring and economic powers of the 17th century during the period of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. In the era, referred to as the Dutch Golden Age, colonies and trading posts were established all over the globe. (See Dutch colonial empire) Many economic historians regard the Netherlands as the first thoroughly capitalist country in the world. In early modern Europe it featured the wealthiest trading city (Amsterdam) and the first full-time stock exchange. The inventiveness of the traders led to insurance and retirement funds as well as such less benign phenomena as the boom-bust cycle, the world's first asset-inflation bubble, the tulip mania of 1636-1637, and according to Murray Sayle, the world's first bear raider - Isaac le Maire, who forced prices down by dumping stock and then buying it back at a discount ("Japan Goes Dutch", London Review of Books [April 5, 2001]: 3-7). After briefly being incorporated in the First French Empire under Napoleon, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815, consisting of the present day Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In addition, the king of the Netherlands became hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Belgium rebelled and gained independence in 1830, while the personal union between Luxembourg and the Netherlands was severed in 1890 as a result of ascendancy laws which prevented Queen Wilhelmina from becoming Grand Duke. The Netherlands possessed several colonies, most notably the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and Suriname (the latter was traded with the British for New Amsterdam, now known as New York). These 'colonies' were first administered by the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch West India Company, both collective private enterprises. Three centuries later these companies got into financial trouble and the territories in which they operated were taken over by the Dutch government (in 1815 and 1791 respectively). Only then did they become official colonies. During the 19th century, The Netherlands was slow to industrialize compared to neighboring countries, mainly due to its unique infrastructure of waterways and reliance on wind power. After remaining neutral in World War I, over 100,000 Dutch Jews were murdered in the Holocaust of World War II, along with significant numbers of Dutch Roma (gypsies). After the war, the Dutch economy prospered again, being a member of the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and European Economic Community unions. The Netherlands was among the twelve founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and among the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community, which would later evolve into the European Union.

Naming conventions

The name Holland is often used, incorrectly, for The Netherlands, especially in other languages. The origin of the misnomer lies in the fact that the region of Holland was the economic powerhouse during the time of the United Provinces (1581-1795). After the Napoleonic era, Holland became a mere province of the Kingdom and was split into North and South Holland in 1840. Many people, especially from the northern and southern provinces, object to the use of the name Holland for The Netherlands. But to avoid confusion when addressing other nationals, the Dutch themselves often use the name 'Holland'. The plural "Netherlands" is actually an archaic term, referring to the time when it was a collection of regions that were not yet fully united. In The Netherlands itself the country is called Nederland (literally meaning "low country"), the people are called Nederlanders ("Dutch" in English) and the language is called Nederlands (again, "Dutch" in English); the -s in Nederlands is not a plural ending, but rather is cognate to the English suffix -ish. The English word "Dutch" is akin to the German word Deutsch, which originally meant "(Language) of the (common) people" in contrast with the medieval elite who spoke Latin. An old term for the language of The Netherlands is Diets or Nederdietsch. All these terms derive from what in Latin was known as Theodisca, from Germanic
- Þeudiskaz.

Politics

The Netherlands has been a parliamentary democracy since 1848 and a constitutional monarchy since 1815; before that it had been a republic from 1581 to 1806 (it was occupied by France between 1806 and 1815). The pro forma head of state, since 1980, is Queen Beatrix of the House of Orange-Nassau. The Dutch monarch has little political power, but serves mostly as a ceremonial figurehead to represent the nation. Dutch governments always consist of a coalition, as there is not (and has never been) a single political party large enough to get the majority vote. Formally, the queen appoints the members of the government. In practice, once the results of parliamentary elections are known, a coalition government is formed (in a process of negotiations that can take several months), after which the government formed in this way is officially appointed by the queen. The head of the government is the Prime Minister, in Dutch Minister President or Premier, a primus inter pares who is usually also the leader of the largest party in the coalition. The degree of influence the queen has on actual government decision making is a topic of ongoing speculation. The parliament consists of two houses. The 150 members of the Lower House (Tweede Kamer, or Second Chamber) are elected every four years in direct elections. The provincial parliaments are directly elected every 4 years as well. The members of the provincial parliaments vote (indirectly) for the less important Senate (Eerste Kamer, or First Chamber). Together, the First and Second Chamber are known as the Staten Generaal, the States General. Political scientists consider The Netherlands a classic example of a consociational state, at least in part caused by the necessity in the Netherlands since the middle ages for different cities to cooperate in order to fight the water (different cities were at the time like different countries by today's standards, and often at war). This necessity to reach an agreement despite differences is called the polder model in Dutch. Also, the Netherlands has long been a nation of traders and for international trade one has to be tolerant of the other person's culture. The Netherlands is a neutral country in most international affairs and thus managed to keep out of World War I (although this did not work in World War II). As a result, the Dutch have a 'friendly' reputation in other countries, to the point that bearers of a Dutch passport often have relatively little difficulty getting into other countries, for visits or even for emigration purposes. However, the early years of the 21st century have seen a political change with the right wing in politics gaining on the left. This is illustrated by the quick rise (and fall) of the LPF. Pim Fortuyn, its founder, held former cabinets responsible for the failing integration of immigrants. The present government is led by the cabinet Balkenende II. This cabinet got some critique about economic reforms and the immigration policies. On June 1 2005 the Dutch electorate voted in a referendum against the proposed EU Constitution by a majority of 61.6%, three days after the French had also voted against. See also: Prime Minister of the Netherlands, List of Prime Ministers of the Netherlands

Provinces

List of Prime Ministers of the Netherlands The Netherlands is divided into twelve administrative regions, called provinces, each under a Governor, who is called Commissaris van de Koningin (Commissionair of the Queen).
- Friesland - north west; capital Leeuwarden
- Groningen - north east; capital Groningen
- Drenthe - south of Groningen; capital Assen
- Overijssel - east central, south of Drenthe; capital Zwolle
- Flevoland - central, north of Utrecht; capital Lelystad
- Gelderland - east central, south of Overijssel; capital Arnhem
- Utrecht - central; capital Utrecht
- North Holland - (Noord-Holland) north west (including Amsterdam); capital Haarlem
- South Holland - (Zuid-Holland) west central, south of North Holland (including Rotterdam); capital The Hague (s-Gravenhage or Den Haag)
- Zeeland - south west; capital Middelburg
- North Brabant - (Noord-Brabant) south central; capital 's-Hertogenbosch (or Den Bosch)
- Limburg - south east; capital Maastricht. All provinces are divided into municipalities (gemeenten), together 467; see Municipalities in the Netherlands, and also List of cities in the Netherlands by province. The country is also subdivided in water districts, governed by a water board (waterschap or hoogheemraadschap), each having authority in matters concerning water management. As of 1 January 2005 there are twenty seven. The creation of water boards actually pre-dates that of the nation itself, the first appearing in 1196. In fact, the Dutch water boards are one of the oldest democratic entities in the world still in existence. See also: Ranked list of Dutch provinces.
Geography
Ranked list of Dutch provinces Ranked list of Dutch provinces A remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is the flatness of the country. About half of its surface area is less than 1 m above sea level, and large parts of it are actually below sea level (see [http://www.minbuza.nl/default.asp?CMS_ITEM=MBZ302750 map showing these areas]). An extensive range of dikes and dunes protect these areas from flooding. Numerous massive pumping stations keep the ground water level in check. The highest point, the Vaalserberg, in the south-eastern most point of the country, is 321 m above sea level. A substantial part of the Netherlands, for example, all of Flevoland and large parts of Holland, has been reclaimed from the sea. These areas are known as polders. This has led to the saying "God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands." In years past, the Dutch coastline has changed considerably due to human intervention and natural disasters. Most notable in terms of land loss are the 1134 storm, which created the archipelago of Zeeland in the south west, and the 1287 storm, which killed 50,000 people and created the Zuyderzee (now dammed in and renamed the IJsselmeer - see below) in the northwest, giving Amsterdam direct access to the sea. The St. Elizabeth flood of 1421 and the mismanagement in its aftermath destroyed a newly reclaimed polder, replacing it with the 72 km² Biesbosch tidal floodplains in the southcentre. The most recent parts of Zeeland were flooded during the North Sea Flood of 1953 and 1,836 people were killed, after which the Delta Plan was executed. The disasters were partially man-made; the people drained relatively high lying swampland for use as farmland. This drainage caused the fertile peat to compress and the ground level to drop, locking the land users in a vicious circle whereby they would lower the water level to compensate for the drop in ground level, causing the underlying peat to compress even more. The vicious circle is unsolvable and remains to this day. Up until the 19th century peat was dug up, dried, and used for fuel, further adding to the problem. To guard against floods, a series of defences against the water were contrived. In the first millennium, villages and farmhouses were built on man-made hills called terps. Later these terps were connected by dikes. In the 12th century, local government agencies called "waterschappen" (English "waterbodies") or "hoogheemraadschappen" ("high home councils") started to appear, whose job it was to maintain the water level and to protect a region from floods. (The waterbodies are still around today performing the exact same function.) As the ground level dropped, the dikes by necessity grew and merged into an integrated system. In the 13th century, windmills came into use to pump water out of the areas by now below sea level. The windmills were later used to drain lakes, creating the famous polders. In 1932, the Afsluitdijk (English "Closure Dike") was completed, blocking the former Zuyderzee (Southern Sea) off from the North Sea and thus creating the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake). It became part of the larger Zuiderzee Works in which four polders totalling 1,650 km² were reclaimed from the sea. After the 1953 disaster, the Delta project, a vast construction effort designed to end the threat from the sea once and for all, was launched in 1958 and largely completed in 2002. The official goal of the Delta project was to reduce the risk of flooding in Holland to once per 10,000 years. (For the rest of the country, the protection-level is once per 4,000 years). This was achieved by raising 3,000 km of outer sea-dikes and 10,000 km of inner, canal, and river dikes to "delta" height, and by closing off the sea estuaries of the Zeeland province. New risk assessments occasionally incur additional Delta project work in the form of dike re-enforcements. The Delta project is the single largest construction effort in human history and is considered by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. Because of the high cost of maintaining the polders some have argued that maybe some of the deepest polders should be given up. Additionally, the Netherlands is one of the countries that may suffer most from climatic change. Not only is the rising sea a problem, but also erratic weather patterns may cause the rivers to overflow. These flooded polders might then be used as water catchments to take part of the blow. The country is divided into two main parts by three rivers Rhine (Rijn), Waal, and Meuse (Maas). The south western part of the Netherlands is actually one big river delta of these rivers. These rivers not only function as a natural barrier, but also as a cultural divide, as is evident in the different dialects spoken north and south of these great rivers and the (previous) religious dominance of Catholics in the south and Calvinists in the north. The predominant wind direction in the Netherlands is south west, which causes a moderate maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. See also: National parks (Netherlands).
Economy
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy in which the government has reduced its role since the 1980s. Industrial activity is predominantly in food-processing (for example Unilever and Heineken), chemicals (for example DSM), petroleum refining (for example Royal Dutch Shell), and electrical machinery (for example Philips). A highly mechanised agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labour force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. Other important parts of the economy are international trade (Dutch colonialism started with cooperative private enterprises such as the VOC), banking and transport (for example the Rotterdam harbour). The Netherlands successfully addressed the issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its European partners. As a founding member of the Euro, the Netherlands replaced its former currency, the Gulden, on January 1 1999 along with the other adopters of the single European currency, with the actual Euro coins and banknotes following on January 1, 2002. However, in the first years of the third millennium, economic and employment growth came to a standstill, which the government tried to resolve by cutting into its expenses. In 2003 the economy shrunk 0.9%. In 2004, the recession was over and the economy began its slow recovery with a meager 1.3% growth. The CPB ("Centraal Plan Bureau", Central Planning Bureau), a think tank of leading Dutch economists linked with the government, expects a recovery of the economy in 2005, with a growth of 2.25%. In 2004, inflation was 1.2%, the lowest level since 1989.
- Economic data for the Netherlands: [http://statline.cbs.nl Dutch] [http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/start.asp?lp=Search/Search&LA=EN English]
- List of Dutch companies
Demographics
The Netherlands is the 15th most densely populated country in the world, with 393 inhabitants per square km (or 482/km² if only the land area is counted, 20% is water). Partly because of this it is also one of the most densely cabled countries in the world. Internet penetration [http://www.internetworldstats.com/top25.htm] is at 66.2% the 7th highest in the world. According CBS Statline, the official statistics bureau of the Netherlands, the ethnic origins of the citizens are very diverse. The vast majority of the population however still remains Dutch. They were: 80.8% Dutch, 8.7% other European, 2.2% Turkish, 1.9% Moroccan, 6.4% other There are no cities with a population over 1 million in the Netherlands, but the 'four big cities' as they are called (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) can in many ways be regarded as one 'big city' agglomeration, the Randstad ('fringe city'), with an agricultural 'green heart' (het Groene Hart). This is illustrated by the idea to create a circular train network with a frequency and carriages similar to a metropolitan railway.
Languages
The official language is Dutch, which is spoken by practically all inhabitants. Another official language is Frisian, which is spoken in the northern province of Friesland and has a strong resemblance to English. Frisian is co-official only in the province of Friesland, although with a few restrictions. Several dialects of Plattdüütsch are spoken in much of the north and are recognised as regional languages, as protected by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. To the south, the Dutch language shifts into other varieties of Low Franconian and German, which may or may not be best classified as Dutch, most notably West Flemish. One of these, Limburgish, which is spoken in the south-eastern province of Limburg has been recognised as a minority language since 1977.
Religion
According to the governmental statistics agency (CBS) 30% of the population consider themselves to be Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant (predominantly Dutch Reformed) and 8% 'other denominations'. 42% consider themselves not to belong to any religious denomination. Church attendance however is much lower than these figures may suggest: some 70% of the population 'rarely or never' visit a house of worship (be it a church, mosque, synagogue or temple). The most protestants live in the northern provinces while the southern provinces (Noord-Brabant and Limburg) are mainly Roman Catholic. The largest part of the 'other denominations', at 920,000, are Muslim immigrant workers mainly living in the bigger cities, mostly from Morocco and Turkey, and their offspring. The other denominations also include some 200,000 (1.3%) Hindu, mostly descendants of indentured servants who migrated from India to the former Dutch colony of Surinam around 1900. Prior to the Holocaust about 140,000 Jews lived in the Netherlands, however the vast majority of [http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/communities/weurope/comm_netherlands.html Dutch Jewry] was murdered in the Holocaust. About 30,000 Dutch Jews now live in The Netherlands.
Culture
The Netherlands has had many well-known painters. The 17th century, when the Dutch republic was prosperous, was the age of the "Dutch Masters" such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and many others. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century are Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan. M. C. Escher is a well-known graphics artist. Willem de Kooning was born and trained in Rotterdam, although he is considered to have reached acclaim as an American artist. A (in)famous Dutch master art forger is Han van Meegeren. The Netherlands is the country of philosophers Erasmus of Rotterdam and Spinoza, and all of Descartes' major work was done there. Christiaan Huygens(1629-1695) is a famous astronomer and mathematician. He discovered Saturn's moon Titan and invented an accurate clock. In the Dutch Golden Age, literature flowered as well, with Joost van den Vondel and P. C. Hooft as the two most famous writers. In the 19th century, Multatuli wrote about the bad treatment of the natives in Dutch colonies. Important 20th century authors include Harry Mulisch, Jan Wolkers, Simon Vestdijk, Cees Nooteboom, Gerard van het Reve and Willem Frederik Hermans. The Diary of Anne Frank was also written in the Netherlands. See also: List of museums in The Netherlands, Sport in the Netherlands, Music of the Netherlands, List of Dutch people, Public holidays in the Netherlands Replicas of Dutch buildings can be found in Huis ten Bosch, Nagasaki, Japan. A similar Holland Village is being built in Shenyang, China. Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, cheese and Delftware pottery are among the numerous items associated with the Netherlands. Dutch policies on recreational drugs, prostitution, same-sex marriage and euthanasia are among the most liberal in the world.
Miscellaneous topics

- City rights in the Netherlands
- Communications in the Netherlands
- Drug policy of the Netherlands
- Dutch colonial empire
- Dutch people
- Dutch-Belgian War
- Education in the Netherlands
- Euthanasia in the Netherlands
- Foreign relations of the Netherlands
- General Intelligence and Security Office (AIVD)
- Income tax in the Netherlands
- List of football clubs in the Netherlands
- Military of the Netherlands
- Netherlands and weapons of mass destruction
- New Netherland
- Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) of the Netherlands
- Prostitution in the Netherlands
- Public holidays in the Netherlands
- Reporters Without Borders worldwide press freedom index 2004 — first place
- Same-sex marriage in the Netherlands
- Statistics Netherlands
- Telephone numbers in the Netherlands
- Television networks in the Netherlands
- Tourism in the Netherlands
- Transportation in the Netherlands
External links

-
- [http://www.statoids.com/unl.html Provinces of Netherlands]
- [http://www.amsterdam-netherlands.info/ Amsterdam / Netherlands info] - Information about the Netherlands, its provinces and Amsterdam.
- [http://www.haganum.nl Best School of The Netherlands- The Gymnasiun Haganum in the Hague]
- [http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/cijfers/default.htm CBS] - Key figures from the Dutch bureau of statistics
- [http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/nl.html CIA - The World Factbook -- Netherlands]
- Dutch news: [http://www.rnw.nl/ Radio Netherlands], [http://www.expatica.com/source/site_content_subchannel.asp?subchannel_id=1 Expatica]
- [http://www.colonialvoyage.com Dutch Portuguese Colonial History] Dutch Colonial History in Sri Lanka, Ceylon, Brazil, India, Malacca (Malaysia), Bengal, Formosa(Taiwan), South Africa, New York, Caribbean, Indonesia. Language Heritage. Maps, chronologies, bibliographies.
- [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761572410/Netherlands.html Encarta entry on the Netherlands]
- [http://flagspot.net/flags/nl-index.html Flagspot.net - The Netherlands]- site about flags, but also with province maps showing municipalities, and some other info
- Foreign government info about the Netherlands and their relations with it:
[http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/netherlands/index.html Australia] | [http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/canadaeuropa/country_net-en.asp Canada] | [http://meaindia.nic.in/foreignrelation/netherland.htm India] | [http://www.esteri.it/eng/3_22_40_214.asp Italy] | [http://www.mfat.govt.nz/foreign/regions/europe/countrypapers/netherlands.html New Zealand] | [http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/bilateral/netherlands.html South Africa] | [http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029394365&a=KCountryProfile&aid=1019061813313 UK] | [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3204.htm US]
- [http://www.government.nl Government.nl] - official Dutch government web site
- [http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Dutch] Dutch for English speakers (from Wikibooks)
- [http://www.skyscrapercity.info/200.php?id=4&country=NL&limit=0 List of ca. 1500 tall buildings in the Netherlands]
- [http://www.nlplanet.com/ NL Planet] - English language resources, background information and free forums
- [http://overheid.nl/guest/sites/ Overheid.nl] - official Dutch government portal (includes official publications from 1995; older ones are only available in some libraries, on paper or microfiche)
- [http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gemeentes/gemprovin.htm Province maps showing subdivision in municipalities, and linking each municipality to its basic data page]
- [http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/english/index.jsp The Dutch Royal House]
- [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1104447749&men=gmap&lng=en&gln=xx&dat=32&geo=-160&srt=npan&col=aohdq Maps and data]
- [http://www.track.nl/ Track.nl] - An Internet search-engine that specialises in the Netherlands.
- [http://www.world66.com/europe/netherlands World66 Guide to The Netherlands] A travel guide written by its users.
- [http://www.deltaworks.org Deltaworks Online - Flood protection and watermanagement in the Netherlands] Category:European Union member states Category:Monarchies als:Niederlande zh-min-nan:Kē-tē-kok [[got:

Holstein

Holstein (Hol-shtayn) (Plattdüütsch: Holsteen, Danish: Holsten, Latin and historical English: Holsatia) is the southern part of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, between the rivers Elbe, Eider, and the Schlei firth. The capital of Holstein is Kiel. 1111-1474 an Imperial (Reichsunmittelbar) County of the Holy Roman Empire, although sometimes occupied by Denmark, and thereafter an Imperial Duchy until the dissolution of the Empire in 1806. From the 15th century, Holstein was, along with the Danish Duchy of Schleswig, inherited by the Kings of Denmark. Before it was inherited by a sovereign family, who gave up the country to prevent a conflict few years after Holstein was created, in 804. In 1110 duke Lothar of Saxony invested Count Adolf of Schauenburg with Holstein. That was the end of the short reign of the sovereign family and the start of a new county. This Sovereign Family still exists today. Under the terms who has been made in 1110, they still use the styles and titles. The two duchies were both further divided after they were inherited by the Kings of Denmark, with some parts under the control of the Kings of Denmark, and other parts under the Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp, a cadet line of the family. The Duke of Holstein-Gottorp was forced to give up his lands in Schleswig to the Kings of Denmark following the Great Northern War in 1720, but he retained his lands in Holstein until 1773. But the Danes were eager to round out their possessions, especially after the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp became Emperor of Russia in 1762 as Peter III and was planning an attack on Denmark to recover the lost Gottorp lands in Schleswig. Although Peter was soon overthrown by his wife, Catherine the Great, the Danes determined to rid themselves of this problem. In 1773, they exchanged the County of Oldenburg for the Gottorp lands in Holstein, bringing all of Holstein under their control. From 1815 to 1864 the Duchy of Holstein was part of the German Confederation, though in personal union with Denmark (the King of Denmark being also Duke of Holstein). Following the death of King Frederick VII of Denmark in 1863, the inheritance of Schleswig and Holstein was disputed. The new king, Christian IX, made his claim to the Danish throne through a female line. The Prince of Augustenburg, a minor scion from another line of the family, claimed the Duchies, and soon the German Confederation, led by Prussia and Austria, went to war with Denmark, quickly defeating it in 1864 and forcing it to cede the duchies. However, the duchies were not given to the Prince of Augustenburg. In 1865 an arrangement was worked out between Prussia and Austria where the Austrians occupied and administered Holstein, while the Prussians did the same in Schleswig. This arrangement came to an end with the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which resulted in Schleswig and Holstein both being incorporated into Prussia. Category:States of the Holy Roman Empire Category:Schleswig-Holstein Category:History of Denmark Category:History of Germany

Milk

:For other senses of this word, see milk (disambiguation). milk (disambiguation) Milk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. It provides the primary source of nutrition for newborns before they are able to digest more diverse foods. It is also processed into dairy products such as cream, butter, yoghurt, ice-cream, gelato, cheese, casein, whey protein, lactose, condensed milk, powdered milk, and many other food-additive and industrial products. It can also be used to mean
- the white juice and the processed meat of the coconut in, more or less, liquid form, used especially in Thai, Indian (Kerala), and Polynesian cuisine.
- a non-animal substitute such as soya milk, rice milk, and almond milk. Human milk is fed to infants through breastfeeding, either directly or by the female expressing her milk to be saved and fed later. The early lactation milk is known as colostrum, and carries the mother's antibodies to the baby. It can reduce the risk of many diseases in both mother and baby.

Composition and nutrition

The composition of milk differs widely from species to species and a little within species. Factors such as the lactose content, the proportion of and size of the butterfat globule, and the strength of the curd (formed by the human enzymes digesting the milk) can differ from breed to breed and mammal to mammal. For example:
- Human breast milk is thin and high in lactose, its primary sugar.
- Cow's milk is lower in sugar and higher in protein, and is composed of about 3.5% to 6.5% milkfat, 4% to 8.5% milk solids and about 88% water. Its main protein (80%) is casein, while whey proteins make up most of the rest. The nutritional makeup of cow's milk is much different from human milk. One cup of human milk has 70% less protein, 38% more fat, and 47% more carbohydrates than cow's milk. Vitamin C, folic acid, sodium, iron and calcium levels also differ significantly. Lactose in milk is digested with the help of the enzyme lactase produced by the bodies of infants. In humans, production of lactase falls off towards adulthood, leading to an inability to digest milk; this is known as lactose intolerance. Some human populations (most notably Europeans) retain the ability to digest lactose into adulthood. Whole cow's milk has approximately 634 Calories (2650kJ) per litre.

Cow's milk

In the western world cow's milk is most often extracted on an industrial scale for human consumption and industrial uses. It is the most commonly consumed form of milk. Dairy farming has become such a large business that in many countries the process is highly automated; with farmers using machines that attach directly to the teats of the cow's udder to speed milking, and breeds of cattle, such as Holstein, specially bred for increased milk production.

Commercial processing of milk

Holstein In North America a dairy facility processes milk and products obtained from milk (dairy products), such as cream, butter, cheese, and so on. Most dairies are local companies, as opposed to large or nationwide companies found in the southern hemisphere. Upon standing, fresh milk has a tendency to separate into a high-fat cream layer on top of a larger, skim-milk layer. The cream is often sold as a separate product with its own uses. In the United States, a blended mixture of half cream and half milk is often sold in smaller quantities and is called half and half. Half and half is used for creaming coffee and similar uses. Milk produced for commercial consumption usually undergoes several processes. Pasteurization kills many harmful micro-organisms by heating the milk for a short time and then cooling it for storage and transportation. Pasteurized milk is still perishable and must be stored cold by both suppliers and consumers. Dairies print expiration dates on each container, after which stores will remove any unsold milk from their shelves. In many countries it is illegal to sell milk that is not pasteurized. A complementary process for commercial milk is homogenization, which produces milk in a single phase (or layer). This is accomplished by mechanically reducing the fat globules to a size that stabilizes them in solution. Milk, sold commercially in countries where the cattle (and often the people) live indoors, commonly has vitamin D added to it to make up for lack of exposure to UVB radiation. Milk often has flavoring added to it for better taste or as a means of improving sales. Chocolate-flavored milk has been sold for many years, followed recently by other flavors of milk and cream. South Australia has the highest consumption of flavoured milk per person, where Farmers Union Iced Coffee outsells Coca-Cola, a success shared only by Inca Kola in Peru and Irn-Bru in Scotland.

Support

Cow's milk is a generally healthy source of protein and calcium in human diets. It is also a good source of a number of vitamins. A serving (1 cup or 250 ml) of 2%-fat milk contains 285 mg of calcium, which represents 22% to 29% of the daily recommended intake (DRI) of calcium for an adult, depending on the age, 8 grams of protein, and a number of other nutrients (either naturally or through fortification):
- Vitamins D and K - essential for bone health
- Iodine - a mineral essential for thyroid function
- Vitamin B12 and Riboflavin - necessary for cardiovascular health and energy production
- Biotin and Pantothenic Acid - B vitamins important for energy production
- Vitamin A - critical for immune function
- Potassium and Magnesium - for cardiovascular health
- Selenium - cancer-preventive trace mineral
- Thiamin - B-vitamin important for cognitive function, especially memory
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid - beneficial fatty acid that inhibits several types of cancer in mice, has been shown to kill human skin cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer cells in in vitro studies, and may help lower cholesterol and prevent atherosclerosis; only available in milk from grass-fed cows Milk supporters point out that studies show possible links between low-fat milk consumption and reduced risk of arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, and obesity. Overweight individuals who drink milk may benefit from decreased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. [http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org/NationalDairyCouncil/Nutrition/Reducing/DairysRoleManagingBP.htm]

Criticism

Cow's milk is also argued to be unhealthy primarily due to its fat and cholesterol content, as well as the toxicity of its protein. The following studies are used to support this position:
- The pasteurization process for raw milk kills most, if not all, resident micro-organisms (including beneficial ones that aid in its digestion and metabolization) and many nutritional constituents. The resulting pasteurized product causes digestive problems, is less nutritional and turns rancid (as opposed to souring) when aging. [http://www.realmilk.com/rawvpasteur.html Raw Milk Versus Pasteurized Milk]
- Some milk is rich in saturated fat, which studies have linked to increased risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Low-fat and non-fat forms of milk may mitigate any such risk.
- Up to 70% of humans have an incomplete ability to digest milk, lactose intolerance. For those individuals, milk may induce symptoms such as cramping, bloating, gas, and diarrhoea. Certain ethnic groups may be more susceptible to these effects.
- Critics dispute the claim that drinking large amounts of milk can reduce the risk of bone fractures, especially in the elderly. Studies have failed to associate high calcium intakes with lower risk of hip and forearm fractures in men[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9278560] or women[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9224182].
- Critics of milk claim that plant-based sources of calcium are preferable, on the grounds that animal proteins in milk causes leaching or excretion of calcium from bones.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=8198060] Such critics refute the claim that milk prevents osteoporosis and make the counterclaim that milk, in fact, contributes to that disease.
- A study published in June 2005 suggests that consumption of milk by 9- to 14-year-old children is associated with weight gain, although the researchers identify that excessive calorie intake is the cause rather than dairy specific factors. Researchers were surprised by their conclusion that weight gain was associated with dietary calcium and low-fat or skim milk, but not dairy fat.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15939853]
- A February 2005 study found a positive association between acne and the consumption of whole milk, skim milk, and other dairy products in high-school-age women.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15692464].
- Critics also make the claim that the protein content of cow’s milk can act to block the absorption of calcium and cause the human body to produce antibodies that are believed to damage the pancreas, leading to the development of type 1 diabetes.
- In children, cow’s milk consumption has allegedly been linked to anemia, colic, allergies, and asthma. In adults, cow's milk consumption has been related to breast cancer.
- Two studies show a correlation between high galactose consumption, and high rates of ovarian cancer. [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=2510499][http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=2567871]
- A study suggests a correlation between high calcium intake and prostate cancer.[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9458087]. There is no evidence that any such problem is specific to milk. A review published by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research states that at least 11 human population studies have linked dairy product consumption and prostate cancer.
- Scientific evidence has also been unable to support the claim that the consumption of cow’s milk as a source of calcium reduces the risk of osteoporosis. On the contrary, epidemiological research has linked the countries with the highest dairy consumption rates (for example, the United States, Sweden and Finland) to the incidence of osteoporosis. But no studies have shown the same in New Zealand, which has the highest per capita consumption.
- The A1 β-casein in cow's milk has been reportedly linked to ischaemic heart disease, type I diabetes, and to a lesser extent, schizophrenia and autism. Some milk contains higher levels of the A2 β-casein, which has been claimed to not lead to these diseases. Milk with the "A2 milk" trademark has been tested to be high in the A2 β-casein.

Distribution

A2 milk A2 milk milk]] Because of the perishable nature of milk, expeditious distribution is desirable. Milk used to be delivered to households daily, but this is no longer economically feasible. People buy it chilled at grocery or convenience stores or similar retail outlets. Prior to the widespread use of plastics, milk was often distributed to consumers in glass bottles, and before that in bulk that was ladled into the customer's container. In the UK, milk can be delivered daily by a milk man who travels his local milk round (route) using a battery-powered milk float, although this is becoming less popular as a result of supermarkets selling milk at cheaper prices. New Zealand was possibly the last country to distribute milk in glass bottles. As of November 30, 2005, New Zealand Dairy Foods will cease to produce bottled milk at their Christchurch factory. In the United States bottles were replaced with milk cartons, tall boxes with a square cross-section and a peaked top that can folded outward upon opening to form a spout. Now milk is increasingly sold in plastic bottles. First the gallon and half-gallon sizes were sold in plastic jugs while the smaller sizes were sold in milk cartons. Recently milk has been sold in smaller bottles made to fit in automobile cup holders. The half-pint milk carton is the traditional unit as a component of school lunches. Pictures of missing children were printed on milk cartons as a public service until it was determined that this was disturbing children. Milk preserved by the UHT process is sold in boxes often called a "brick" that lack the peak of the traditional milk carton. Glass containers are rare these days. Most people purchase milk in plastic jugs or bags or in waxed-paper cartons. Ultraviolet light from fluorescent lighting can destroy some of the proteins in milk so many companies, that once distributed milk in transparent or highly translucent containers, are using thicker materials that block the harmful rays. Many people feel that such "UV protected" milk tastes better. In the United States, milk is commonly sold in gallon, half-gallon and quart containers (U.S. customary units) of rigid plastic or waxed cardboard. The US single-serving size is usually the half-pint (about 500 ml). In Canada, a 1 1/3 litre plastic bag (sold as 4 litres in 3 bags) is the most common, while 2 litre, 1 litre, 500 millilitre, and 250 millilitre cartons are also available. In Europe, sizes of 500 millilitres, 1 litre (the most common), 2 litres and 3 litres are commonplace (in the UK, some stores still stock the equivalents of old Imperial sizes: 568 ml (1 pint), 1.136 l (2 pints), 2.273 l (4 pints) or, rarely, a combination including both metric and imperial sizes). In Australia and New Zealand a 250 ml cardboard container of flavoured milk is marketed as a common breakfast meal. For refrigerator use milk comes in 1, 2 and 3 litre plastic screw-top bottles. Most UHT-milk is packed in 1 litre paper containers with a sealed plastic spout. Condensed milk is distributed in metal cans, 250 and 125 ml paper containers and 100 and 200 ml squeeze tubes, and powdered milk (skim and whole) is distributed in boxes or bags.

Varieties and brands

Cow's milk is generally available in several varieties. In some countries these are:
- full cream (or "whole" in North America, about 3.25% fat)
- semi-skimmed ("reduced fat" or "low fat", about 1.5-1.8% fat)
- skimmed (about 0.1% fat) Milk in the U.S. and Canada is sold as
- "whole" varieties
- "2 percent" (reduced fat)
- "1 percent" (low fat)
- "1/2 percent" (low fat)
- "skim" (very low fat) Note: In Canada "whole" milk refers to unhomogenized milk. "Homogenized" milk (or "Homo milk" in short) refers to milk which is 3.25% butterfat. Generally all store-bought milk in Canada has been homogenized, yet the term is also used as a name to describe butterfat content for a specific variety of milk. Modern commercial dairy processing techniques involve first removing all of the butterfat, and then adding back the appropriate amount depending on which product is being produced on that particular line. In Britain, it is possible to get Channel Island milk, which is 5.5% fat. In the United States, skim milk is also known as "fat free" milk, due to USDA regulations stating that any food with less than 1/2 gram of fat per serving can be labeled "fat free". Full cream, or whole milk, has the full milk fat content (about 3-4% if Friesian- or Holstein-breed are the source). For skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, all of the fat content is removed and then some (in the case of semi-skimmed milk) is returned. The best-selling variety of milk is semi-skimmed; in some countries full-cream (whole) milk is generally seen as less healthy and skimmed milk is often thought to lack taste. Whole milk is recommended to provide sufficient fat for developing toddlers who have graduated from breast milk or infant formula.

Other milk animals

In addition to cows, the following animals provide milk for dairy products:
- Humans
- Sheep
- Goats
- Horses
- Donkeys
- Camels (Including the South American camelids)
- Yaks
- Water buffalo
- Reindeer In Russia and Sweden, small moose dairies also exist [http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/06/23/sweden.moosecheese.ap/index.html]. Donkey and horse milk have the lowest fat content, while the milk of seals contains more than 50% fat. [http://www.havemilk.com/article.asp?id=1485#contentbyspecies]

Curdling

When raw milk is left standing for a while, it turns sour. This is the result of fermentation: lactic acid bacteria turning the milk sugar into lactic acid. This fermentation process is exploited in the production of various dairy products such as cheese and yogurt. Pasteurized cow's milk, on the other hand, spoils in a way that makes it unsuitable for consumption, causing it to assume an unpleasant odor and pose a high danger of food poisoning if ingested. The naturally-occurring lactic acid bacteria in raw milk, under suitable conditions, quickly produce large amounts of lactic acid. The ensuing acidity in turn prevents other germs from growing, or slows their growth significantly. Through pasteurization, however, these lactic acid bacteria are mostly destroyed, which means that other germs can grow unfettered and thus cause decomposition. In order to prevent spoilage, milk can be kept refrigerated and stored between 1 and 4 degrees Celsius. Most milk is Pasteurized by heating briefly and then refrigerated to allow transport from factory farms to local markets. The spoilage of milk can be forestalled by using ultra-high temperature (UHT) treatment; milk so treated can be stored unrefrigerated for several months until opened. Sterilized milk, which is heated for a much longer period of time, will last even longer, but also lose more nutrients and assume a still different taste. Condensed Milk, made by removing most of the water, can be stored for many months, unrefrigerated. The most durable form of milk is milk powder which is produced from milk by removing almost all water.

External links

- [http://www.pukeariki.com/en/stories/farming/milkingintheearlydays.asp Milking in the early days]
- [http://www.pukeariki.com/en/stories/farming/elthamfirsts.asp Advances in processing milk]
- [http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/gbdairy.html Year-round grazing of dairy cows in the United States]
- [http://www.milkismilk.com Milk is Milk Web site and blog]
- [http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/mar03/osteo0303.htm Boning Up on Osteoporosis]
- [http://www.drafthorsejournal.com/features/horsemilk/horsemilk.htm Horse milk]
- [http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/calcium.html Harvard School of Public Health: Calcium and Milk]: describes claims of milk supporters and critics
- [http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR17/wtrank/sr17w301.pdf USDA National Nutrient Database, Calcium contents of selected foods]
- [http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/7/294/0.pdf USDA Dietary Reference Intakes: Elements]
- [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/030321.html Is cow's milk "the worst beverage on earth?"] - straightdope.com response to anti-milk websites.
- [http://beauty.about.com/od/bathmilk/ Bath Milk] (About.com), milk used for bathing
- [http://www.milksucks.com MilkSucks.Com] - a site run by PETA extolling the benefits of going Dairy-free Category:Beverages Category:Non-alcoholic drink Category:Dairy products
- Category:Materials involved in Hinduism ko:우유 ia:Lacte] [[id:Susu]] [[io:Lakto ja:乳 simple:Milk th:นม

Jersey cattle

A small, honey-brown breed of dairy cattle, the Jersey is renowned for the high butterfat content of its milk, as well as a genial disposition. As its name implies, the Jersey was bred on the British Channel Island of Jersey. It apparently descended from cattle stock brought over from the nearby Norman mainland, and was first recorded as a separate breed around 1700. Since 1789, imports of foreign cattle into Jersey have been forbidden by law to maintain the purity of the breed, although exports of cattle and semen have been an important economic resource for the island. With an average weight of 900 pounds (400 kg), the Jersey cow is small, but by some measures it produces more milk per unit of body weight than any other breed. Bulls are also small by standards of domestic cattle, ranging around 1,500 pounds (700 kg), but can be surprisingly aggressive. body weight Due to the small size, docile character and attractive features of the Jersey cow, small herds were imported into England by aristocratic landowners as props for aesthetic landscapes. Among famous owners of Jersey cows was Prince Felix Yussupov who bought a cow in Jersey to add to his collection of exotic pets.

External links

- [http://www.royaljersey.co.uk/ Royal Jersey Agricultural & Horticultural Society]
- [http://www.usjersey.com/ American Jersey Cattle Association] Category:Cattle breeds Cattle

Litre

The litre (spelled litre in Commonwealth English and liter in American English) is a unit of capacity. There are two official symbols: lowercase l and uppercase L. The litre is not an SI unit but is accepted for use with the SI. The SI unit of volume is the cubic metre (m³).

Definitions and equivalents

A litre is defined as a special name for a cubic decimetre (1 L = 1 dm³).
- 1 L = 1000 cm³ (exactly)
- 1000 L = 1 m³ (exactly)

SI prefixes applied to the litre

The litre may be used with some SI prefixes.

Name origin

The word "litre" is derived from an older French unit, the litron, whose name came from Greek via Latin.

Other common metric equivalencies

- 1 µL (microlitre) = 1 mm³ (cubic millimetre)

Conversions

One litre :≈ 0.87987699 Imperial quart ::Inverse: One Imperial quart ≡ 1.1365225 litres :≈ 1.056688 US fluid quarts ::Inverse: One US fluid quart ≡ 0.946352946 litres :≈ 0.0353146667 cubic foot ::Inverse: One cubic foot ≡ 28.316846592 litres One millilitre :≈ 0.03519507972785404600 Imperial fluid ounce ::Inverse: One Imperial fluid ounce ≡ 28.4130625 mL :≈ 0.0338140227018429971686 US fluid ounce ::Inverse: One US fluid ounce ≡ 29.5735295625 mL :≈ 0.0000353146667 cubic foot ::Inverse: One cubic foot ≡ 28,316.846592 mL

Explanation

Litres are most commonly used for items measured by the capacity or size of their container (such as fluids and berries), whereas cubic metres (and derived units) are most commonly used for items measured either by their dimensions or their displacements. The litre is often also used in some calculated measurements, such as density (kg/L), allowing an easy comparison with the density of water. One litre of water weighs almost exactly one kilogram. Similarly: 1 ml of water weighs about 1 g; 1000 litres of water weighs about 1000 kg (1 tonne). This relationship is due to the history of the unit but since 1964 has not been part of the definition.

Symbol

Originally, the only symbol for the litre was l (lowercase letter l), following the SI convention that only those unit symbols that abbreviate the name of a person start with a capital letter. In many English-speaking countries, the most common shape of a handwritten Arabic digit 1 is just a vertical stroke, that is it lacks the upstroke added in many other cultures. Therefore, the digit 1 may easily be confused with the letter l. On some typewriters, particularly older ones, the l key had to be used to type the numeral 1. Further, in some typefaces the two characters are nearly indistinguishable. This caused some concern, especially in the medical community. As a result, L (uppercase letter L) was accepted as an alternative symbol for litre in 1979. The United States National Institute of Standards and Technology now recommends the use of the uppercase letter L, a practice that is also widely followed in Canada and Australia. In these countries, the symbol L is also used with prefixes, as in mL and µL, instead of the traditional ml and µl used in Europe. Prior to 1979, the symbol ℓ (script small l, U+2113), came into common use in some countries; for example, it was recommended by South African Bureau of Standards publication M33 in the 1970s. This symbol can still be encountered occasionally in some English-speaking countries, but it is not used in most countries and not officially recognised by the BIPM, the International Organization for Standardization, or any national standards body.

History

In 1793, the litre was introduced in France as one of the new "Republican Measures", and defined as one cubic decimetre. In 1879, the CIPM adopted the definition of the litre, and the symbol l (lowercase letter l). In 1901, at the 3rd CGPM conference, the litre was redefined as the space occupied by 1 kg of pure water at the temperature of its maximum density (3.98 °C) under a pressure of 1 atm. This made the litre equal to about 1.000 028 dm³ (earlier reference works usually put it at 1.000 027 dm³). In 1964, at the 12th CGPM conference, the litre was once again defined in exact relation to the metre, as another name for the cubic decimetre, that is, exactly 1 dm³. [http://ts.nist.gov/ts/htdocs/230/235/appxc/appxc.htm#footnote1 NIST Reference] In 1979, at the 16th CGPM conference, the alternative symbol L (uppercase letter L) was adopted. It also expressed a preference that in the future only one of these two symbols should be retained, but in 1990 said it was still too early to do so.

External links

- [http://www.bipm.org/en/si/si_brochure/ BIPM's "SI Brochure"]
- [http://www.bipm.org/en/si/si_brochure/chapter4/table6.html BIPM's "(Table 6 -) Non-SI units accepted for use with the International System"]
- [http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/units.html NIST note on SI units]
- [http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/outside.html NIST recommends uppercase letter L]
- [http://www.npl.co.uk/npl/reference/international.html UK National physical laboratory's "Internationally recognised non SI units" page] Category:Units of volume ko:리터 ja:リットル simple:Litre th:ลิตร

Category:Cattle breeds

Main article: List of cattle breeds Category:Cattle

Category:German loanwords

This category contains words borrowed from German, and other German words that may be seen in English texts. See also List of German expressions in English. Category:German language Category:English words of foreign origin

Financial quote

A Financial Quotation refers to specific Market data relating to a security (finance) or commodity. While the term quote specifically refers to the bid or ask of an instrument, it may be more generically used to relate to the last price which the security traded at ("last sale"). This may refer to both exchange-traded and over-the-counter financial instruments.

Bid and Ask

The bid and ask (or offer) of a security are the prices (and often quanties) at which buyers and sellers are willing to purchase or sell. The bid shows the current price at which a buyer is willing to purchase shares, while the ask shows the current price at which they are willing to sell. The quantities at which these trades are placed are referred to as "bid size" and "ask size." For instance, if a trader submit a limit order to buy 1000 shares of MSFT at $28.00, this order will appear in a market maker for MSFT's book (finance) with an bid of $28.00 and a bid size of 1000.

Equities

Level 1 Access

Level 1 quotations represent realtime bid/ask data, the most commonly displayed market data. Level-1 data typically will display the Best-Bid-Offer ("BBO" or "Inside Quote"), i.e. the highest ask and lowest bid available at the time for a given security. It may or may not display quote size.

Level 2 Access

Level 2 data displays the top-of-book for each market participant in a given security. In other words, at a given time there may be several market makers participating in trade-matching for a specific stock. Level-2 data will display the highest offer and lowest bid for each market maker. So-called Level 2 Information is of some interest to Stock Market day-traders and brokers/dealers as it typically depicts the buying and selling pressure behind individual stocks and other securities quoted on markets around the world. Similar in format to live streaming share prices, a typical Level 2 screen is split in two vertical halves and will show orders on both the bid price of a security (left hand side) and the offer price (right hand side). On major heavily traded stocks the "depth" of the orders can quite often be in excess of 20/30 orders to both buy and sell at lower (left) and higher (right) prices. Traders can use this live information to predict the short-term movement of a share or security in conjunction with volume traded, and attempt to profit from this information, which is usually legal as the information is in the public domain. The reason for this is that Market Makers sit “behind” such a screen by being obliged to both buy and sell the share at the posted price up to what is known as normal market size. For certain market centers such as Nasdaq, a full depth-of-book (DOB) is available, whereby every quotation for every market participant is displayed.

הצבעה סופית

הכללים (רועי)

הרגשתי די טרחני לחבר את הכללים הנ"ל, אבל ראיתי שלעיתים נוצר מצב שבו רק צד אחד במלחמת עריכה מכבד את הכללים האלמנטריים, וזה באמת לא הוגן. זו הצעתי למלחמת עריכה (ההצעה שונתה מעט בידי רועי) שן שש ז�

מקור המונח "אידאולוגיה"

המונח ה"אידאולוגיה" הופיע לראשונה בכתביו של המהפכן הצרפתי אנטואן דסוט דה טרסי (Antoine Desutte de Tracy) אשר