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Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS) Bulk Milk Monitoring/Counting
Program is up and running. Now we need your milk samples at
the QMPS Northern Laboratory in Canton, where this new service
is provided.
You’ll find the submission form and a manual explaining
the results at links below. The Bulk Milk Monitoring/Counting
Program compliments existing QMPS programs by focusing on the
numbers of bacteria in the milk as it leaves the farm.
Eliminate the obvious
What do you do if your routine bacteria counts spike or are
just higher than you’d like? Begin by checking the most
frequent causes of high counts: milk cooling and contact surfaces.
Everything from inflations to all bulk tank surfaces must be
properly cleaned.
Recording thermometers on tanks provide a permanent record of
the milk temperature, provided charts are changed on time and
the sensing portion of the unit remains accurate. A reference
thermometer should be the first tool you and your milk inspector
reach for to verify milk temperature. And use it to assure water
temperatures in all phases of the wash, return and rinse are
in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines.
Once you’ve confirmed accurate milk cooling, carefully
inspect all milk and wash-water contact surfaces for films or
buildup of material that can be a source of bacteria. Often,
an elevated Lab Pasteurized Count (LPC) accompanies an elevated
Standard Plate Count (SPC) caused by a cleaning problem.
SPC and LPC information can be diagnostic. But before you blame
the equipment dealer or chemical route salesperson, carefully
review water quality studies, scheduled maintenance and parts
replacement.
For example, if your herd size has increased, resulting in your
milking more cows and operating equipment for more hours, you
must change inflations more often. Also, replace milk filters
after four hours of use so they don’t act as “incubators”
of bacteria.
Using QMPS counts
Once you’ve eliminated cooling or cleaning as sources
of elevated bacteria counts, or while the investigation is going
on, you can begin culturing tank samples. Remember, the QMPS
laboratory must have samples with which to work. That sounds
obvious, but these counts may fluctuate wildly from day to day.
The more samples we have to work with, the more complete picture
we will have of your dairy.
We recommend saving and freezing a duplicate sample from each
tank of milk shipped off your dairy. Most haulers will take
the second sample and label it when they take their own.
Keep samples for at least 20 days to ensure they are available
if needed. Certified Milk Inspectors have foam vial holders
that can be stored in a freezer to keep samples organized.
The QMPS Bulk Tank Culture Submission form lists a variety of
counts and cultures. There is an increasing incidence of elevated
bacteria counts attributed to udder infections, and these services
are designed to help identify and eliminate this problem.
The different tests and their potential uses are:
• Bulk Tank Culture (BTC) identifies mastitis-causing
bacteria but without a count. BTC-A identifies the aerobic or
commonly found organisms, such as streps, staphs, and coliforms
(E. coli and Klebsiella). BTC-M checks the sample for Mycoplasma,
a contagious organism requiring special media and growing conditions.
BTC-B will check for both.
Since these counts check for the presence of contagious mastitis
pathogens, they’re useful even if bacteria counts are
excellent. This is all the more important today as herd sizes
increase and more purchased animals are brought onto dairies.
One sample is never “foolproof,” and QMPS encourages
constant monitoring, such as quarterly.
• Modified Bacteria Count (MBC) provides a count of the
bacteria identified in the BTC. This is a critical test to determine
the source of the problem. A single infected cow can shed enough
bacteria to raise the SPC over the legal limit, even in relatively
large herds, such as those with more than 200 cows. This procedure
is a somewhat unique aspect of QMPS’ service since most
milk testing laboratories don’t offer it.
• Panel or Standard Plate Count (SPC), Coliform Count
(CC) and Laboratory Pasteurized Count (LPC) tests are described
on the Submission Form and performed under the same conditions
as in official milk testing laboratories. They provide the background
information to ensure we are working with comparable samples
as the official lab.
While the freezing of samples may affect counts slightly, comparisons
of the counts on the same samples before and after freezing
were valid. These counts may also be ordered individually.
A high LPC indicates a cleaning problem. With the CC, you can
compare the effectiveness of milking technique by individual
milkers or different shifts.
• Bulk Tank Somatic Cell Count (BTSCC) measures the somatic
cell count of the bulk tank sample. Comparisons on fresh and
frozen samples did not show that freezing had a significant
effect.
• Complete Panel (COMPLETE) includes all of the above
tests.
Some tips: Clearly identify and freeze samples if they won’t
be plated within 24 hours. Samples may be shipped frozen in
coolers with additional ice packs to the QMPS Laboratory in
Canton. Avoid shipping samples if they might be delayed, such
as on weekends or holidays.
Getting results
Results are available 48 hours after the sample is streaked.
You can request for results to be sent by mail, phone, fax or
e-mail to you and your veterinarian.
You will find a manual for interpreting the results and the
sources of the bacteria identified at the QMPS website, or you
can buy a printed copy of this information. QMPS staff can provide
assistance.
Six ways to cut bacteria counts
Take these steps to eliminate cooling and cleaning as sources
of a high bacteria count:
1. Check temperatures of milk and water throughout the wash
cycle. Then ensure that your cleaning solutions are being dispensed
as intended.
2. Be sure that the entire milking system is being washed at
least once every 48 hours. Partial pickups may result in tanks
not being washed at regular intervals, resulting in a buildup
of material.
3. Visually inspect milk and wash-water contact surfaces for
films or buildup.
4. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for changing
rubber parts and routine maintenance of the milking system.
Update schedules as use changes, such as an increase in cow
milking or hours of operation.
5. Request routine checks of water quality by your cleaning
products’ representative and have your soaps and acids
adjusted accordingly.
6. Be sure that teats are being properly sanitized and dried
before milking, and dipped in an approved product as soon as
the unit is removed. Without good udder prep and clean environmental
conditions, the source of the heavy growth of environmental
bacteria (Fig. 2) would be almost impossible to determine.
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