A Guideline for Milk Hygiene

Prepared by Christine Ndugu, Nombe Kashare Village and a Member of CELAC Mbarara District Farmers Network

Dairy cows are those that are mainly kept for milk. Milk hygiene involves keeping maximum cleanliness during the process of milking.

To become a milk producer one must have the following in place.

• Enough land.
• Dairy cows
• A variety of grass.
• Access to veterinary services nearby
• Starting capital for drugs

Preparation for a new calf

• Keep proper records
• Constant check up for delivery dates
• Buy milking salve (jelly)
• Buy milking utensils before the calf delivers
• Have a strong crash in case the animal is hostile. Prepare where to keep the calf
• Buy supplementary feeds for the mother cow and the calf

Before starting to milk the cow, clean the udder with warm water, dry the teats with a clean cloth, apply milking salve (jelly) on teats to smoothen milking.

Actual milking should be done gently because rough milking prevents the cow from releasing milk. Also, the milk should be removed completely as when some of it is left it may cause mastitis and resultant swelling of the udder.

Milk into clean containers and boil drinking milk immediately, then take it to cooling places immediately so as it doesn’t go source.

Clean all milking utensils immediately after removing it and let the utensils stay in the sun for a long time so as to dry properly (remember to use a clean table or akatandalo)

The first milk also known as colostrums cannot be consumed by people and should be consumed after seven days.

Milking should be done at least twice a day in the morning and evening. The milking period should be at least 7 months from the time of delivery.

A pregnant animal should not be milked after 6 months from the time it conceives.