Cooling milk to stay ahead

 Internationally more stringent cooling rules are becoming the norm, and doing nothing will be an expensive option, says MPI director animal and animal products, Mathew Stone. 

“If no change is made New Zealand dairy exporters might find it more challenging to gain the current premium returns derived from the superior milk quality and integrity of New Zealand’s milk supply,” Stone told Dairy News.

MPI believes that tightening the milk standard, even though a relatively minor change, will ensure that New Zealand maintains its perceived position as a producer of premium quality milk. 

Stone agrees the change will impose a cost on many farmers. 

MPI has suggested a long transition period, with the new rule taking effect from mid 2016 for new farm dairies and mid 2017 for existing dairies. 

Advance warning of the change of standard was to allow dairy owners to plan. 

“The standards are being actively worked on at present, in consultation with dairy industry stakeholders, and MPI expects to formally consult on the proposed changes in the next few months. The proposal requires milk to be cooled to 6^oC rather than the current 7^oC, and a shorter cooling time.”

Stone points out that New Zealand has long produced high quality raw milk among the best in the world. Its rapid cooling ensures the quality is preserved all the way to the factory. 

The New Zealand standard for milk cooling has been proven sufficient for the range of dairy products made, and it has suited our milking practices, he says.

However, as herd sizes have grown and farming systems have become more varied the standard milking times have become longer. “In light of this, MPI has reviewed the milk cooling standards with industry experts… looking at the purpose and science of milk cooling… and standards internationally.” The review showed the cooling standard should be adapted to current practice.

Stone says all dairy farmers and some dairy companies that assume responsibility for onfarm refrigeration will be affected. However, many farm dairies will meet the proposed rule with their existing equipment.

The new MPI regulations require farmers to hold milk at 6oC or cooler until the tanker collects. Present rules allow milk to be cooled to 7oC within three hours of milking and until collection. In Australia milk must be cooled to 5oC within 3.5 hours of milking; in China to 4oC within two hours of milking. In the EU, milk collected daily must be kept at no more than 6oC if not collected daily. 

$500 ice bank fixed it

MATAMATA FARMER John van der Goes had known for years that he had a problem cooling milk. 

An old ice bank fixed it, for $500. (His 57ha farm has 165 cows.)

But he knows that some farmers will have to spend big, depending on milking volumes and infrastructure.

“I knew I had a problem and regulations were coming…. We talked to people and dealt with it earlier rather than later,” van der Goes told Dairy News.

On van der Goes’ farm milk was being cooled to about 12^oC, “barely meeting guidelines”.

Now milk passes through two plate coolers. The ice bank has 500L of water with a frozen core in the centre; this keeps the water at 0.5^oC.

“Milk goes through the normal plate cooler first then goes through the plate cooler with the ice cold water in it,” he says. “It’s hooked up the same way as the other plate cooler; basically milk is cooled twice.”