Milk Quality & Hygiene Products

What Are Milk Quality & Hygiene Products?

Milk quality and hygiene products include everything used to maintain clean, safe milk production—teat dips and sprays, CIP (clean-in-place) chemicals, sanitizers, milk filters, udder towels, and related supplies. These products protect milk quality from harvest through storage.

Why Milk Quality Matters

Milk quality directly affects your milk check through premiums, deductions, and market access. Low somatic cell count (SCC) and bacteria counts command premium prices, while high counts result in penalties or rejection. Quality is also a food safety issue with regulatory implications.

Key Benefits

• Premium payments: Low SCC and bacteria earn more per hundredweight
• Avoid penalties: High counts trigger deductions or rejection
• Market access: Some buyers require specific quality standards
• Udder health: Pre and post dip prevent new infections
• Food safety: Clean milk protects consumers and your reputation

Key Product Categories

Teat Dips & Sprays

Post-milking dips kill bacteria on teat skin to prevent new infections. Pre-milking dips or sprays clean teats before attachment. Active ingredients include iodine, chlorhexidine, lactic acid, and hydrogen peroxide.

CIP Chemicals

Alkaline and acid cleaners for milking equipment. Proper cleaning cycles remove milk residue and prevent biofilm. Alternating alkaline and acid wash is standard practice.

Sanitizers

Products used to sanitize equipment between milkings. Chlorine-based sanitizers are most common.

Milk Filters

Sock or disk filters that remove physical contaminants before milk enters the bulk tank. Changed regularly to ensure effectiveness.

Udder Towels

Disposable or reusable towels for drying teats before attachment. Individual towels per cow prevent cross-contamination.

Quality Testing

• SCC: Bulk tank and individual cow somatic cell count
• Bacteria count: Standard plate count and other bacterial tests
• Components: Fat, protein, and other solids
• Antibiotic residue: Testing to prevent contamination

Do You Need to Improve Quality Products?

Consider upgrading products if:

• SCC or bacteria counts are higher than desired
• You're not achieving quality premiums
• Current products aren't performing consistently
• Mastitis incidence is above target levels

Cost Considerations

Teat dip costs $0.01-0.03 per cow per milking. CIP chemicals run $50-150/month for typical herds. Filters cost $50-150/month. The ROI from quality premiums typically far exceeds product costs—a penny per pound premium on 100 cows producing 70 lbs/day equals $70/day.