Fidel Castro and dairy

[1] During the on-going American embargo against Cuba, Castro sent his ambassador to Canada to purchase and ship him 28 containers of ice cream from Howard Johnson's, which was the largest restaurant chain in the United States at the time.

Richard Bissell Jr., the CIA deputy director for plans, offered Sam Giancana and Santo Trafficante, Jr., the heads of the Chicago and Tampa crime families, $150,000 to assassinate Castro.

Cuba had previously only had Criollo and Zebu cattle, two breeds notable for their resistance to hot Cuban weather, but not suitable for large-scale milk production.

Castro attempted to overcome this problem by ordering several thousand Holstein bulls and cows from Canada, which he tried to keep alive in air-conditioned facilities.

[2] Ubre Blanca was a symbol of national pride, and the communist party newspaper Granma published daily updates on her health and milk production.

[2][7] In 1987, Castro once again asked a team of scientists to genetically engineer cattle, this time hoping to create dog-sized cows to live in people's homes and produce enough milk for each family.