Significance of Clean Milk Production
Clean Milk Production (CMP) refers to all the hygienic practices followed during the production, collection, handling, and transportation of milk to ensure that the milk remains free from physical, chemical, and microbial contamination. In the Indian context, where milk is an essential part of daily diet and livelihood, clean milk production is highly significant.
Importance of Clean Milk Production
1. Ensures Public Health and Safety
- Contaminated milk may carry harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, etc.
- Clean milk prevents milk-borne diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, cholera, and diarrhoea.
2. Enhances Milk Quality and Shelf Life
- Hygienic milk has low bacterial count, better taste, and longer shelf life.
- Clean milk is suitable for pasteurization, processing, and value-added products like cheese, butter, ghee, and yogurt.
3. Fetches Better Price for Farmers
- Clean milk attracts higher market value.
- Many milk cooperatives and private dairy plants offer premium prices for quality milk with low bacterial count and free from adulteration.
4. Supports Export Opportunities
- Clean milk meets international food safety standards like ISO, HACCP, Codex, etc.
- It helps India increase dairy exports and earn foreign exchange.
5. Reduces Spoilage and Loss
- Contaminated milk gets spoiled quickly and leads to economic loss for farmers and dairy processors.
- CMP reduces spoilage, rejection, and wastage.
6. Builds Consumer Trust
- Quality and hygienic milk builds confidence among consumers, especially urban and health-conscious buyers.
- It is also important for infants, elderly, and patients, who are more sensitive to adulteration or contamination.
7. Ensures Animal Health
- CMP includes hygienic milking practices, proper animal care, and clean surroundings.
- This leads to better animal health, reduced mastitis, and higher milk yield.
Strategies to Improve Milk Quality at Dairy Farm Level
Improving milk quality at the farm level requires a systematic approach involving training, infrastructure, and hygiene practices.
1. Maintain Clean and Healthy Animals
- Regular bathing of animals and keeping their skin, teats, and udder clean.
- Hoof trimming, deworming, and vaccination schedules must be followed.
- Sick animals must be isolated and treated separately.
2. Clean Milking Environment
- Milking area should be dust-free, well-ventilated, and dry.
- Floors should be made of non-slippery material with proper drainage.
- All animal waste must be regularly removed to avoid contamination.
3. Hygienic Milking Practices
- Wash the udder and teats with clean lukewarm water before milking.
- Use potassium permanganate or antiseptic solution to disinfect teats.
- Milking should be done by clean hands or using sanitized milking machines.
- Use strip cup to check first milk for any signs of mastitis.
4. Use of Clean Utensils and Equipment
- Use stainless steel or food-grade containers for milking.
- Do not use plastic or iron buckets as they are difficult to sanitize and can contaminate milk.
- All equipment like buckets, milking machines, and cans must be thoroughly cleaned with hot water and chlorine solution.
5. Immediate Cooling of Milk
- Milk should be cooled to 4°C to 6°C immediately after milking using bulk milk coolers (BMC).
- This prevents the growth of harmful bacteria and increases shelf life.
- If BMC is not available, milk should be delivered immediately to chilling centres.
6. Avoid Adulteration
- Milk should not be mixed with water, starch, urea, detergent, or other chemicals.
- Adulteration not only reduces quality but is illegal and dangerous to health.
7. Water Quality
- Use clean and potable water for washing teats, utensils, and hands.
- Contaminated water is a major source of milk spoilage and diseases.
8. Proper Animal Feeding
- Animals should be fed with balanced and clean feed, free from aflatoxins or pesticides.
- Use of good quality fodder, silage, green grass, and mineral mixtures improves milk quality.
9. Training and Awareness
- Farmers should be given regular training on clean milk production.
- Awareness programmes by veterinary doctors, dairy cooperatives, and extension workers are essential.
10. Regular Milk Testing
- Conduct routine tests for fat percentage, SNF (solids-not-fat), bacterial count, and adulterants.
- Cooperative societies and private dairy plants should reward quality milk and penalize poor-quality supply.
Government and Institutional Support
- Institutions like NDDB (National Dairy Development Board) and ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) have promoted clean milk initiatives.
- Schemes like National Programme for Dairy Development provide funding and training.
- AMUL and other dairy cooperatives promote Anand Pattern with focus on clean milk procurement and chilling infrastructure.
Conclusion
Clean milk production is not just a quality requirement but a responsibility towards society. It ensures the health of consumers, increases income for farmers, and strengthens the overall dairy sector. In India, where milk plays a vital role in nutrition, employment, and rural economy, promoting clean milk production at the farm level is essential for achieving safe, sustainable, and profitable dairy farming.