Milk Quality Matters

On this episode we sit down with Dr. Fauna Smith from the University of California - Davis to discuss milk quality on goat dairies of all sizes. 

Topics of conversation include federal and state milk safety regulations, metrics for evaluating milk quality, components of producing quality milk, milking equipment maintenance, troubleshooting basic milk quality issues, and considerations for differences between goat and cow dairy production metrics. 

Helpful Links:
State Milk Laws: https://www.ncsl.org/research/agriculture-and-rural-development/raw-milk-2012.aspx

National Mastitis Council - Guidelines for evaluating teat skin condition: https://www.nmconline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Guidelines-for-Evaluating.pdf

Penn State University - Equipment Maintenance for Milkers: https://extension.psu.edu/equipment-maintenance-for-milkers

University of Minnesota - Maintenance and Monitoring of Milking Equipment on the Dairy Farm: https://www.vetmed.umn.edu/sites/vetmed.umn.edu/files/oct_26_230_thomson_china_monitoring_milk_equipment_2016.pdf

American Dairy Goat Association Dairy Herd Improvement Registry (ADGA DHIR): https://adga.org/performance-programs/production-testing/

Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database (FARAD) - http://www.farad.org/

Charm SLBL test kit (validated for detecting 5 beta lactam antibiotics in goat milk): https://www.charm.com/products/test-and-kits/antibiotic-tests/rosa-lateral-flow/slbl-charm-sl-beta-lactam-test/

FDA Grade "A" Milk Safety Program: https://www.fda.gov/federal-state-local-tribal-and-territorial-officials/state-cooperative-programs/fda-grade-milk-safety-program#:~:text=The%20FDA's%20Milk%20Safety%20Cooperative,milk%20products%20for%20human%20consumption.

College of Veterinary Medicine Milk Quality Laboratories (non-exhaustive list): 
California - https://www.vmtrc.ucdavis.edu/laboratories/milk-quality-laboratory
Georgia - https://vet.uga.edu/diagnostic-service-labs/milk-quality-laboratory/
Iowa - https://vetmed.iastate.edu/vdl/laboratory/bacteriology/bacti-milk-quality
Minnesota - https://vdl.umn.edu/laboratories/laboratory-udder-health-luh/laboratory-udder-health-overview
New York - https://www.vet.cornell.edu/animal-health-diagnostic-center/programs/quality-milk-production/about

This podcast is sponsored by the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners as well as USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Program, Antimicrobial Resistance grant # 2020-04197.

Questions or comments about today's episode can be directed to DairyGoatExtension@iastate.edu