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GRADE A DAIRY GOAT FARM REQUIREMENTS NO. D-04 October, 1995S. S.
Zeng and E. N. Escobar Agricultural Research & Extension Programs Langston
University, Langston, Oklahoma D. F. Rackley Dairy Services Division
Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Introduction Goat milk, as stated in the U.S. Grade A Pasteurized Milk
Ordinance (PMO), is the normal lacteal secretion, practically free of colostrum,
obtained by the complete milking of one or more healthy goats (USDHHS/FDA,
1993). Although the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS)
recognizes the differences in composition and somatic cell count (SCC) between
cow milk and goat milk, sanitary requirements for Grade A cow milk in the PMO
apply to goat milk.
The PMO is governed by the Food and Drug Administration and enforced by the
State Department of Health or the State Department of Agriculture, specifically
by the Milk Sanitation Division. To produce Grade A goat milk, a dairy goat
farmer must obtain a permit from the regulatory agency and use an approved
facility for milk production and handling. The United States dairy goat industry
has come into its infancy in the last two decades (Anon., 1989 and Hinckley at
al., 1994), while the European counterpart has long been established in many
countries. World production of goat milk is estimated at eight million tons
annually (Jeouen et al., 1991). Most dairy goat farms in the U.S. are not
certified for Grade A raw milk production. To assist the dairy goat farmer who
plans to start a Grade A farm or wants to up-grade an existing non-Grade A
facility, the basic requirements of the PMO are outlined below, including
initial construction, sanitation practice, water supply, waste treatment, and
regulatory inspection.
Construction Milking barn Suitable housing should be provided for
milking does during the milking process to minimize contamination of milk and to
provide comfort for the animals. The structure is commonly referred to as a
milking barn, stable, or parlor. Due to the high humidity environment, a milking
barn shall have concrete or equally impervious material flooring for easy
cleaning and maintenance. Wood is not acceptable as a floor material. Walls and
dust-tight ceilings must be smooth, painted or finished as recommended by the
regulatory agency. They shall be kept in good repair. The barn floor must slope
away from the milkroom. Sufficient ventilation is needed to eliminate
condensation upon ceilings and walls, minimize odor build-up and provide comfort
for the milker. At least one 12 inch vent is required in the milking barn.
Adequate light through artificial lighting is necessary to ensure safe work
conditions for workers and animals. It also allows the milker to perform milking
and milk handling in a sanitary manner. Usually no less than 20 foot-candles of
illumination at working areas (at least one watt of artificial lighting per
square foot of floor area) is required. A storage cabinet for medications and
pesticides is recommended in the milking barn.
Milkroom A separate room, i.e., milkroom or milkhouse, is required to
provide sufficient space for cooling and storing goat milk and to minimize
contamination from the milking barn. Milk containers and utensils are washed,
sanitized and stored in the milkroom. The milkroom floor should be constructed
of smooth concrete or equally impervious materials with accessible drains to
promote cleanliness. It shall slope evenly to the drain to avoid pooling of
waste water. The walls and ceilings must be light-colored, smooth and in good
repair with painted or equivalent finish. Smooth and seamless surfaces and
joints are required for ease of clean up and sanitation. A tight-fitting,
self-closing solid door between milkroom and milking barn is required. Entrance
and exit door(s) must open out of the milkroom unless a self-closing, outward
opening screen door is also installed. A hose port must be built through the
milkroom wall to transfer milk from the storage tank (bulk tank) to the
transport tank. It shall be kept closed when not in use. A minimum of three
foot clearance above the milk storage tank is required. Clearance around the
tank should be at least 30" and extended to 36" on the valve end. The milkroom
shall have adequate light for operation. A minimum of 20 foot-candles of
illumination is required. Artificial lighting must be located away from the milk
tank opening. The milkroom must be well ventilated to reduce the likelihood of
odors that may be transmitted to the milk and to prevent condensation upon
ceilings and walls. One 12 inch vent provides enough ventilation for a milkroom
up to 200 square feet. A two-compartment wash sink is required and water under
pressure shall be piped into the milkroom. A water heater with a minimum
capacity of 20 gallons must be provided for bulk tank up to 200 gallons. An
additional 10 gallons of water heater capacity is recommended for each
additional 100 gallons of milk tank capacity. Hot water washing in the wash sink
is always done at 160øF or higher.
Toilet Every dairy farm shall have at least one on-site toilet. The
flush-toilet is connected to a public sewage system or to a private sewage
-disposal system, i.e., a septic tank. Alternatives to a flush toilet can be a
chemical toilet or an earth pit privy. All the toilets must be constructed and
maintained in accordance with local or state plumbing regulations. No direct
openings are allowed towards to the milkroom. Doors to toilet rooms should be
tight-fitting and self-closing. The room must be well lighted and ventilated.
Equipment All the milking lines and any equipments that contact milk shall
meet the 3-A manufacturing standards. Milking machines (heads, milk claws),
milking lines (pipes), milking buckets, storage tanks, multi-use containers, and
utensils shall be made of smooth, non- absorbent, corrosion resistant, non-toxic
materials. Stainless steel, heat-resistant glass, inert, non-odor, fat resistant
plastic or rubber is recommended in the PMO. PVC is not acceptable for milking
lines. All hand-milking and stripping pails must not have seams or joints. These
pails shall be designed with small mouth openings to minimize contamination by
foreign matter. Milk cans must have umbrella-type lids. The milk storage tank
shall have an efficient cooling system. Fresh and warm milk coming out of
pipelines or milking buckets must be cooled to 45øF (7.2øC), preferably to 40øF
(4.4øC) within two hours. The milk tank must be equipped with a temperature
gauge for easy and convenient reading. Clean-in-place (CIP) milk pipelines and
return-solution lines must be self-draining. Approval by the regulatory agency
is required before installation of CIP systems. Any gaskets used in the
operation line shall be self- positioning and meet the regulatory requirements.
Cleanliness and sanitation Interior floors, walls, ceilings of the milking
barn and milkroom shall be kept clean to reduce the contamination to the milk.
The milking barn shall be free of filth, litter and animals other than. The
floors should be scrubbed with brush and flushed with water under pressure or
brushed dry and limed after each milking. Non-milk contact surfaces of pipelines
must be reasonably clean. All facilities used in the milkroom must be clean at
all times. Cleaning agents (detergents) and single service paper towels must be
available. Trash cans must be properly covered and emptied frequently. All
fixtures and facilities in the toilet room must be kept clean and free of odor
and flies. Soap and paper towels must be provided in the toilet. Milk-contact
surfaces of all equipment used in the milking barn and the milkroom must be
cleaned after each usage. Cleaned equipment, including milking machines, vacuum
hoses, containers and utensils, shall be stored in a clean place with complete
drainage on racks in the milkroom. Milk-contact surfaces of all equipments must
be sanitized prior to being used. All milking does shall be brushed completely
in the areas of flanks, udders, and bellies prior to milking. Clipping hair on
udder will aid in cleanliness. In addition, udder halves should be cleaned and
dried and teats dipped in a sanitizing solution. Milkers are always required to
dry their hands before milking. Milkers shall wear clean outer garments while
milking or handling milk. Hands are washed with soap and dried with single
service towels after using the toilet, before milking, and before working in the
milkroom. The surroundings of milking barn and milkroom are to be kept clean,
neat and free of insects and rodents. The yard must not have standing pools of
water. Bedding areas must be clean and droppings removed to prevent soiling of
udder halves and flanks.
Water supply Milk quality depends to a large extent on cleanliness and
safety of the farm water supply. Water for milking and milk-handling purposes
shall come from a well or other sources properly located, protected, and
operated. The water supply shall comply with the Clean Water Act requirements by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and be accessible and adequate
according to local or state regulatory standards. Ground water sources should be
located to eliminate any possible contamination. The state or local health
agency and cooperative extension service should be consulted prior to the
construction of a well. Surface water sources, such as open ponds and lakes, can
be used if additional treatment and considerations comply with all applicable
requirements of state water control authority and if an advance approval of the
regulatory agency is received.
Waste treatment Because of the potential contamination of ground and
surface water by animal waste, a dairy waste management system must be carefully
developed and implemented to prevent adverse effects to the environment. This
system can be very diverse, depending on herd size, water supply, land slope,
soil type, etc. Regulatory agencies, such as EPA and the State Milk Sanitation
Division, should be consulted when planning and implementing such a system.
Stored manure must be inaccessible to milking goats and shall not be stacked in
outside piles or in pits for more than seven days before it is removed. This
practice will help eliminate flies by breaking the fly-breeding cycle. Land
application is the most common and practical way of disposing animal manure.
Care must be taken to prevent pooling of water on the ground surface and to
minimize fly contamination and udder infections. Liquid waste from the milking
barn and milkroom may be disposed in a septic tank according to the Clean Water
Act requirements by EPA. Alternatively, goat farms can implement a grass filter
bed system (3) in which liquid waste is dispersed over a wide grass sod area
through evaporation and absorption.
Regulatory inspection Milk is the most regulated and inspected food supply
world-wide. It is illegal to operate a commercial dairy farm in the United
States without a permit. A prospective dairy goat farmer can apply to the State
regulatory agency for a Grade A permit. The issuance of a permit is primarily
based on the requirements specified in the U. S. Grade A Pasteurized Milk
Ordinance. It is the dairy farmer's responsibility, not the inspector's, to
produce high quality milk. Inspections by regulatory professionals help the
dairy farmer meet and maintain the requirements for Grade A milk production.
Inspectors perform their duties to protect consumers by assuring the quality of
milk. All Grade A farms are inspected by the State sanitarians at least twice
a year during reasonable working hours. However, in many states, quarterly
inspection is a common practice. Inspection may be conducted bimonthly on
certain farms if the sanitarian determines it is necessary. Inspectors look
for general cleanliness on the whole farm, but particular consideration is given
to the milkroom and the milking barn. The inspector completes the Dairy Farm
Inspection Report (see attachment) by checking each item on the list, including
milkers, milking does, milking procedure, milking barn, milkroom, toilet, water
supply, equipment, milk storage, and transportation vehicles. Any violation of
the PMO will be marked on the report and a warning issued. Corrections must be
made before next inspection (allowance of three days) or the permit may be
suspended. Grade A goat milk shall meet PMO quality specifications. Milk
samples are collected periodically (a minimum of four samples during six
consecutive months) for lab testing of drug residues, somatic cells and total
bacteria. A positive antibiotic residue test automatically carries at least a
one-day suspension of the permit and the milk must not be offered for sale or
consumption until subsequent samples are proven to be free of antibiotics. A
second positive test within the next twelve months requires a penalty equal to
four days loss of milk by the producer. A third positive test within a twelve
month period calls for immediate revocation of the Grade A permit. The somatic
cell count of goat milk is usually performed using Fossomatic instruments but
any results of more than one million cells per milliliter must be verified using
official pyronin Y-methyl green microscopic procedure. If the somatic cell
concentration exceeds one million per milliliter of goat milk (the limit for cow
milk is currently 750,000/ml) or the total bacteria count exceeds 100,000 cfu/ml
(colony forming unit per milliliter) for two of the last four consecutive tests,
a warning is issued to the dairy farmer. If the fifth test within the next 21
days is still over the limit (third violation), the Grade A permit is suspended
(i.e., 3-out-5 Compliance Enforcement). A suspended permit can be reinstated by
the inspector if all the violations have been corrected accordingly.
References Anonymous. 1989. An industry in its infancy. Dairy Foods.
90:21.
Hinckley, L.S., H.V. Atherton, and J.C. Porter. 1994. Guidelines for
Production and Regulation of Quality Dairy Goat Milk. NDPC#59. Agway Inc.,
Syracuse, NY.
Jeouen, J.C., F. Remeuf, and J. Lenoir. 1991. Recent data on goat milk and on
the manufacture of goat milk products. Dairy Sci. Abstr. 53:7877.
USDHHS/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) . 1993. Grade A Pasteurized Milk
Ordinance (PMO). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug
Administration, Washington, D.C.
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