G83-678 Producing Milk With a Low Bacteria Count

This NebGuide provides cleaning, sanitizing, mechanical, environmental and other procedures to follow to assure a low bacterial count in milk. Bacteria are tiny, rapidly reproducing microorganisms that are too small to be seen without a high power microscope. Their very tiny size makes it very difficult to eliminate them from dairy equipment. Because bacterial growth in milk may cause spoilage and possibly human illnesses, a low bacterial count is one of the best indicators of top quality milk. Milk will almost always be of top quality if properly harvested from healthy, clean cows with clean equipment, cooled quickly and kept cold.