Week two, featuring a ton of pictures

Hello! It is currently Monday night in Toulouse. I wanted to reflect on my past week here in the south of France and Spain. It’s been a busy and exciting week!

On Monday, we had a class on Animal Productions in Europe. We learned about how the European Union is the top producer of cow, buffalo, and sheep milk. It is the second highest producer of beef and pork. The EU is the third largest producer of poultry and sheep meat. France is the EU’s top producer of poultry and beef, and also is a leader in sheep and pork production. Most of the animals are raised in the northwest part of France, with other regions throughout France having specialty foods. One example is Aveyron having specialty sheep cheese. We visited a farm and cave in this region to learn about Roquefort cheese. Lacaune ewes are fed regional, mostly grass diets to produce high quality milk. The unpasteurized, full fat milk is used to make Roquefort cheese. Roquefort cheese is aged in a cave for at least ninety days to allow Penicilium Roueforti to grow. The cave that we visited on Tuesday naturally stays at eleven degrees Celsius and 95% humidity. After it is aged, the cheese is then packaged and distributed to grocery stores. The outcome is a very strong cheese with a moldy flavor, similar to Gorgonzola cheese. Seeing both the farm and the cave were interesting since it relates directly to what I am studying at the University of Illinois. I think it’s a fascinating process of how food goes from the field to your plate, and we were able to see that process on Tuesday.

Out to pasture

Rams

ewe

sheep-sized milking parlor

pony

the cave

packaged

getting moldy

On Wednesday, we learned about egg and poultry production in France. France has a large sector for ‘alternative’ egg production. The standard cage for chickens in the EU is the enriched cage. France also has organic, ground-raised, free range, and Label Rouge. Label Rouge is a type unique to France. It has strict regulations that ensure high quality. The enriched cages have the lowest mortality rate and are the most efficient. However, people are willing to pay for higher priced and less efficient production systems.

Broilers can also be given the title of Label Rouge. Label Rouge broilers have an old-fashioned taste and are allowed to grow longer than commercially grown chickens. They are hardier, slower growing breeds. They are held to strict, high standards to give a superior quality meat. There is also an emphasis on ethically raised meat, which is the cause of several of the regulations for Label Rouge. This specialty broiler represents 33% of the poultry meat industry in France. Despite the higher price, many consumers are willing to pay more for the superior quality.

On Thursday we had a full day of French. In the afternoon, we went into the center of the city and did a scavenger hunt for sights, restaurants, and hotels. We had to ask for help in French from natives. The weather was miserable, but we had a good time searching for places and working as a team.

On Friday, we had a lecture on sustainability in animal agriculture. This was a controversial topic since EU agriculture is so different than US agriculture. It was good to have a discussion about sustainability to compare EU methods what I have learned back in the USA. For example, the EU has made conventional layer cages, individual pens for calves, and gestation stalls illegal. These are common practices in the USA.

In the afternoon, we left for Barcelona. It was probably one of the most fun places I have ever been! It was beautiful and colorful. The weather was perfect! I was able to see many of the tourist sites, walk down La Rambla, and even swim in the Mediterranean Sea. The food was awesome. My friends and I ate tapas and paella. I can't wait to go to Barcelona again!