Milk Quality
A critical prerequisite for the manufacture of quality dairy products is to start with milk of the highest quality
The key to producing quality milk is to have correct information, make the right decisions and carry out the recommended actions correctly. It is critical to perceive milk as a food being consumed by others.
There are two key elements to producing high quality milk:
- Producing milk of low somatic cell count (SCC) - Low SCC is a reflection of good udder health and mastitis control in the herd
- Low total bacterial count (TBC) - Low TBC is an indicator of good milking plant hygiene and milk storage
Find out more about:
- Bacterial counts in milk
- Machine Milking, Mastitis & Somatic cell count
- Teat disinfectants
- Residues in milk
- Best practise in milking
- Milk quality conferences
- Milk Quality Related Research Publications
Bacterial counts in milk
Machine Milking, Mastitis & Somatic cell count
Teat disinfectants
- Choosing-an-effective-teat-disinfectant-product_August2021 (PDF)
- Registered teat disinfectant products Sept 2023 (PDF)
Residues in milk
- Flukicides that may be used (PDF)
- Residues in Milk (PDF)
Best practice in milking
Milk quality conferences
Milk Quality Related Research Publications
All publications are PDFs
Farm to Dairy Products
- Tracking the Dairy Microbiota from Farm Bulk Tank to Skimmed Milk Powder
- Effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens proteases on the quality of Cheddar cheese
- Microbial quality of milk from grass based production systems and impact on milk powder quality
- Effect of thermoresistant protease of Pseudomonas fluorescens on rennet coagulation properties and proteolysis of milk
- Microbiological quality of milk from farms to milk powder manufacture: an industrial case study
Mastitis
- Effect of pre-milking teat disinfection on new mastitis infection rates of dairy cows
- Effect of pre-milking teat preparation procedures on the microbial count on teats prior to cluster application
- Estimating the effect of mastitis on the profitability of Irish dairy farms
- Evaluation of hydrated lime as a cubicle bedding material on the microbial count on teat skin and new intramammary infection
- Farm management factors associated with bulk tank somatic cell count in Irish dairy herds
- Seasonal trends in milk quality in Ireland between 2007 and 2011
Milk Cooling and Storage
- Rapid milk cooling control with varying water and energy consumption
- The effect of different precooling rates and cold storage on milk microbiological quality and composition
- The effect of storage temperature and duration on the microbial quality of bulk tank milk
Residues
- Chlorate and Other Oxychlorine Contaminants Within the Dairy Supply Chain: Chlorate contamination in dairy…
- Evaluation of trichloromethane formation from chlorine-based cleaning and disinfection agents in cow’s milk
- Iodine concentrations in milk
- Monitoring residue concentrations in milk from farm and throughout a milk powder manufacturing process
- Strategy for the reduction of Trichloromethane residue levels in farm bulk milk
Teat Disinfectant
- Are some teat disinfectant formulations more effective against specific bacteria isolated on teat skin than others?
- A review of test protocols for the evaluation of teat disinfectants
- Screening commercial teat disinfectants against bacteria isolated from bovine milk using disk diffusion
- The effect of disinfectant ingredients on teat skin bacteria associated with mastitis in Irish dairy herds
Thermodurics
- Farm management factors associated with the Bacillus cereus count in bulk tank milk
- Review of potential sources and control of thermoduric bacteria in bulk-tank milk
Trouble shooting a Thermoduric problem on farm - Teagasc Walsh Scholar Lorna Twomey
Find out more about Lorna and her project
Video first published in March 2024