Impact of sanitation on milk production

Abstract

Milk is lacteal secretion of mammary gland and rich of all types of nutrients. Hence, it serves as a complete food simultaneously ideal medium for growth of different kind of microorganism. Hence, maintenance of hygiene condition at all level of production, processing, storage, and distribution before final consumption is critical to keep bacterial count low and maintaining the sanitary quality of milk. The premilking practices such as methods milking, washing hands and animal body before milking, milker's habits, and water used for routine milking practices are important; factors need due care to prevent contamination of milk. The hygiene of dairy cows and udder before milking regarded as a means of removing dirt is one of the most important hygienic practices to ensure clean milk production. Along with above the factors, the milking environment sanitation is one of the vital factors to avoid the development of pathogenic microorganism. Milk invariably becomes contaminated after milking via milk handling containers so it is the duty of farmers/producers, to employing appropriate techniques for cleaning and sanitization all the contact surfaces of utensils used in a normal daily milking operation. Apart from premilking hygienic practices, the growth of microbes can be restricted by lowering the temperature of milk after milking to maintain its quality. Hence, improving environmental sanitation, premilking and post good milking practices, increased milk quality. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.