Cow milk Species general Foundational

Cow milk (general)

The default cheese milk. Dominates global production because of yield economics. Used in every major cheese tradition. Breed selection and processing produce dramatically different results.

Animal

Cow

Kind

Species general

Fat content

3.5-5.0%

Protein content

3.2-3.5%

Significance

Foundational

Yield

Dairy cows produce dramatically more milk than other dairy animals — 7,000-12,000L/year is typical for commercial breeds, vs 600-1,200L for sheep, 800-1,500L for goat. This yield economics is why cow milk dominates global cheese production.

Dominant regions

Universal. Every major cheese tradition includes cow-milk cheeses.

History

Cattle domestication ~10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent; cow dairying spread with agricultural civilizations. The modern dairy cow (high-yield, lactation-optimized) is largely a 19th-20th century breeding achievement.

Flavor character

Variable by breed and processing — generally mild lactic base with grassy/floral notes from good pasture. Cow milk produces the broadest range of cheese expressions of any animal milk.