For the last number of years, I have been travelling around to some of the best milk quality farms in Ireland, judging the NDC quality milk competition. On each farm, we ask about the products used for washing the machine. We find that, while all are top quality, there are many different routines and products used.
Teagasc has outlined four defined cleaning routines that represent best practice.
The routine a farmer will use depends primarily on what cleaning product is used, whether the farmer has auto washing and the level of hot water available and used in the process.
Teagasc has just updated the detergent steriliser product list, showing the details and required working solutions, depending on whether you are using hot or cold water (Table 1).
Cold-wash systems require a higher working solution of sodium hydroxide and longer contact time with the plant to be effective as they do not contain a steriliser agent (chlorine).
Hot-wash routines, either daily or every second day, are more consistent with high quality milk and the routine described below is very popular on the best farms.
Hot detergent steriliser cleaning
Wash the outside of clusters, attach jetters and remove milk filter.Rinse plant with 14 litres (three gallons) of water per unit (cold or warm).Add liquid detergent steriliser at the manufacturer’s recommended usage rate to hot water (65oC to 75oC), allowing nine litres (two gallons) per unit. Circulate the hot solution for eight to 10 minutes, allowing the first five litres run to waste. The solution may be retained for the second daily wash. Rinse the plant immediately after the main wash with 14 litres of cold water per unit.Ensure the plant is drained before the next milking.Once a week, after the second step outlined (left), add an acid descaler (milkstone remover). If using a cold cleaning detergent powder, you can leave the stain of the solution in the plant until just before the next milking. You should also add an acid descaler (milkstone remover) once a week.
For the last number of years, I have been travelling around to some of the best milk quality farms in Ireland, judging the NDC quality milk competition. On each farm, we ask about the products used for washing the machine. We find that, while all are top quality, there are many different routines and products used.
Teagasc has outlined four defined cleaning routines that represent best practice.
The routine a farmer will use depends primarily on what cleaning product is used, whether the farmer has auto washing and the level of hot water available and used in the process.
Teagasc has just updated the detergent steriliser product list, showing the details and required working solutions, depending on whether you are using hot or cold water (Table 1).
Cold-wash systems require a higher working solution of sodium hydroxide and longer contact time with the plant to be effective as they do not contain a steriliser agent (chlorine).
Hot-wash routines, either daily or every second day, are more consistent with high quality milk and the routine described below is very popular on the best farms.
Hot detergent steriliser cleaning
Wash the outside of clusters, attach jetters and remove milk filter.Rinse plant with 14 litres (three gallons) of water per unit (cold or warm).Add liquid detergent steriliser at the manufacturer’s recommended usage rate to hot water (65oC to 75oC), allowing nine litres (two gallons) per unit. Circulate the hot solution for eight to 10 minutes, allowing the first five litres run to waste. The solution may be retained for the second daily wash. Rinse the plant immediately after the main wash with 14 litres of cold water per unit.Ensure the plant is drained before the next milking.Once a week, after the second step outlined (left), add an acid descaler (milkstone remover). If using a cold cleaning detergent powder, you can leave the stain of the solution in the plant until just before the next milking. You should also add an acid descaler (milkstone remover) once a week.
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