LFP 221: Livestock Farm Practice (0+1)

PREMILKING PREPARATION

• Generally most of the dirt and dust that gets into milk comes from the cow's flank, udder or belly during milking time.
  • Provide the stall platform or stall length byre, sufficient bedding, proper ventilation, light and drainage.
  • Wash the cows flank with water with the help of stiff brush.
• Wash the udder and teats before each milking as the procedure not only removes dirt but also initiates milk ejection reflex.
• Wipe dry with clean dry clothes.
• Milker must wash hands and arms with clean water before each milking and should be neat, tidy and free from communicable diseases.
• Use round bottom milking vessel/pail with dome-shaped top and fitted with filter cloth.
• Use only clean milking pail well rinsed in clean water.
• Do not wear dirty greasy old clothes saturated with filth and dirt likely to be rubbed against animal's flank during milking and thereby introduce large number of harmful bacteria into milking utensils.
• Do not develop the habit of washing dirty finger, and nails with first few drops of milk to moisten the hands before milking.
• Insist upon dry full hand milking method and final stripping to remove
• all milk from udder.
• Always discard the first few streams of milk from each quarter to remove the bacteria having gained access in the passage of the teats between each milking as the first drawn milk may contain as high as 1,400,000 microorganism per cubic inch.
• Do not drag milk out of teats rather squeeze it.
• Do not draw the teats during milking beyond their natural length.
• Milk quickly, quietly, thoroughly and gently without any an­noyance or discomfort to the animal.
• Clip the hair from the. udder flank tail and belly to reduce raw bacterial count by 45 to 75 per cent as follows -
  • Clip switch about 1 feet from ground.
  • Clip tail one to two inches above long hairs on the switch until over the tail head and rump.
  • Clip the udder closely by stretching skin to avoid nicking.
  • Clip the thigh, rump, hocks and legs, too.
  • Clip a strip 6 to 8 inches wide or more along the back to the poll for effective reduction of irritation due to lice and dandruff.
• Avoid change of milker as it would cause variation in milk yield due to individual variation in milkmen.
• Treat the animal with kindness.
• Always observe regular hours of milking.
• Strain milk through a clean cloth and cover it.
• Cool the milk as quickly as possible.