Documenting your milking and wash routines

Dairy

Milk quality during the autumn / winter months is very important. Late lactation supplies can cause serious problems in product quality, flavour and stability.

Putting some thought and time into the process now will pay off. Below we have gathered some basic SOPs that you can complete and place in your dairy to ensure there are instructions for any helper if you were unavailable.

You can edit these easily – print and place them in the dairy. Alternatively have them save on your phone. Another idea is to create a number of user videos or audio recording that can be share via text message or WhatsApp.

Please get in contact with your Milk Quality Manager should you require any support completing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for you farm.

 

RESOURCES TO HELP CREATE A CONTINGENCY PLAN

Glanbia Ireland SOPs template for milking and wash routines 

Teagasc SOPs for milking machines guidelines

IFA guide to farmers about the need for a ‘plan b’ for covid-19

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Covid-19 Helpline is 076 1064468 

 

TREATED COW PROTOCOL:

If a cow has mastitis or gets treated with a withdrawal medicine: she must not be milked into bulk tank.

  1. Before treating - put details on the white board
  2. Write up the date, am/pm, cow  number, what tube used, what she is being treated for and when her milk is expected to be safe to go back into the tank E.G. SUNDAY AM 2760  BL mastitis TUBE No 1. 
  3. Mark the cow with red spray
  4. Then treat the cow
  5. Wash hands thoroughly before going to next cow. 
  6. Out for _______ days after last treatment 
  7. If a cow is treated with a withdrawal medicine: the milk must not go into the bulk tank until withdrawal time has passed.

 

TO START MILKING:

  1. Wet the floor before the cows come in 
  2. Lift off all clusters from the jetters
  3. Change filter sock 
  4. Change valve at plate cooler to the milking position 
  5. On bulk tank put on connection 
  6. Open tank handle to milking position
  7. Check tank is cooling before you begin milking
  8. Press button for start
  9. Turn on plate cooler

 

TO FINISH MILKING:

  1. Put clusters onto the jetters 
  2. Pump off milk
  3. Press green button
  4. Press the airpurge – ensure all milk is drained from three drains
  5. Change plate cooler valve position 
  6. Take off tank connection
  7. Check tank is cooling 
  8. Press wash button on Hygienist
  9. Hose down concrete, yards, milking pit and equipment
  10. When wash starts check all clusters are washing correctly
  11. Wash down all floors, walls and rump rails of parlour
  12. Put all hoses back neatly

 

DRIVER PROCEDURE FOR MILK COLLECTION:

  1. Disinfect on arrival in dairy 
  2. Take supplier barcode label and put on bottle 
  3. Check bulk tank temperature 
  4. On bulk tank control panel press agitation button 
  5. Check milk smell etc 
  6. Connect up hoses after agitation 
  7. Pump off milk
  8. Disconnect hoses 
  9. Close tank outlet / Put tank outlet cover back on 
  10. On control panel – press wash button 
  11. Leave supplier docket in dairy 
  12. Detergent type  ______________
  13. Rates  ______________

 

MACHINE WASH:

Morning wash routine:

  • Detergent amount _________
  • Water amount _________
  • Water temperature at start  _________
  • Dump temperature of water  ________
  • Instructions: _______________

 

Evening wash routine:

  • Detergent amount _________
  • Water amount _________
  • Water temperature at start  _________
  • Dump temperature of water  ________
  • Instructions: _________

 

FURTHER INFORMATION ON GLANBIA IRELAND CORONAVIRUS MEASURES BELOW:

  • Glanbia Ireland’s network of Agribusiness branches is now switching to a ‘call and collect’ system to protect vital services for our farming community and loyal customers. Read more here.
  • Farmers are requested to implement a series of hygiene measures at all times. Read more here.
  • All on-farm biosecurity plans should be reviewed with only business-essential visits permitted on farm. Read more here.
  • Glanbia Ireland has temporarily halted the acceptance of milk samples delivered by farmers in person to our various processing sites for transportation onwards to the laboratory service in Dungarvan. Read more here.

 

First Published 27 March 2020

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