Page 66 - Microsoft Word -Cow Book 10-06-09 final update.doc

Item 13r

MILKING-FLANKS, UDDERS, AND TEATS

REQUIREMENT: Milking shall be done in the milking barn, stable, or parlor. The
flanks, udders, bellies, and tails of all milking lactating animals shall be free from
visible dirt. All brushing shall be completed prior to milking. The udders and
teats of all milking lactating animals shall be clean and dry before milking. Teats
shall be treated with a sanitizing solution just prior to the time of milking, and dry
before milking. Wet hand milking is prohibited.

Public Health Reason: If milking is done else where other than in a suitable place
provided for this purpose, the milk may become contaminated. Cleanliness of the
lactating animals is one of the most important factors affecting the bacterial count
of the milk. Under usual farm conditions, lactating animals contaminate their
udders by standing in polluted water or by lying down in the pasture or cowyard.
Unless the udders and teats are clean and dry before milking, particles of filth or
contaminated water are apt to drop or be drawn into the milk. Such contamination
of the milk is particularly dangerous because manure may contain the organisms
of brucellosis and tuberculosis, and polluted water may contain the organisms of
typhoid fever and other intestinal diseases. Application of sanitizing solutions to
the teats, followed by thorough drying just prior to the time of milking, has the
advantage of giving an additional margin of safety with reference to such disease
organisms as they are not removed by ordinary cleaning and it is helpful in the
control of mastitis.

Inspectional areas of emphasis or special problem areas may be:

1. Dairy animal cleanliness plays an important role in total herd health and
bacterial loads in the milk supply. This item is directly related to Item
4r, Cowyard Cleanliness, and must be evaluated on each farm inspec-
tion. Lactating animals with excessive manure on their flanks, bellies,
tails, etc should never be brought into the milking area without first
being thoroughly brushed, clipped or other effective measures to clean
the animal. Effective maintenance of the cowyard and housing areas
is a significant contributing factor to cleanliness of the milking herd.

2. Evaluate this requirement both at milking time and non-milking times.

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