Standard Operating Procedure for the Milking Facility

The employee milking on your farm is an essential part of your team. The milkers are in charge of harvesting the product for sale. This product must be clean and wholesome. A standard operating procedure (SOP) must be in place on all dairies, large or small, to ensure that milking is accomplished correctly and consistently.

Everyone in the facility needs to be doing the same routine. This includes the youth and adults in the facility. Many farms utilize family labor and family members who milk should follow the same procedures as non-family members. Some of the procedures listed below may seem very simple, but they need to be followed by everyone from the first step until the last.

Step #1

The people moving the cows play a significant role in milking. This cow movement includes collecting cows from their pens, moving cows into the holding area, and moving cows into the parlor. Milk letdown is negatively impacted if cows have a bad experience or are handled roughly within 30 minutes of milking. These animals are stressed, which causes a release of adrenaline. Adrenaline inhibits the release of oxytocin from the pituitary gland, which is necessary for proper milk letdown. 

Step #2

Prepping the udder:

Whether you strip or dip first is irrelevant and is often just a personal preference on the farm. However, the same procedure must be completed by all the same way at each milking.  Either stripping or dipping first is an approved first step to take. This contact will initiate oxytocin release and start the lag time. Lag time is from the first touch of the udder skin until the unit is attached.  An ideal lag time is 60-90 seconds, with a minimum of 90 seconds for 3x herds. Ensure you adequately fore-stripped the animal by taking 4-5 squirts from each teat. This technique will allow you to observe for mastitis and rid the udder of the highest somatic cell count milk. The high somatic cell count milk is primarily contained in the teat cistern. Fore-stripping the teats should take approximately 10 seconds. When applying teat dip, you must cover ¾ of the teat for adequate coverage.  If using a sprayer before stripping, your lag time does not start until the stripping.

Step #3

Leave dip on the teat for the recommended amount of time on the label of your dip container. Allowing the dip to remain on the teat for the recommended period will let the dip kill any bacteria on the outside of the teat.

Step #4

When removing the pre-dip, wipe the teat with a twisting motion. Be sure to take time to wipe the end of the teat. Attach the unit after drying the teat. Following this order of operation is essential to ensure the teat is the cleanest possible when the milking unit is attached.

Step #5

After the cow has finished milking, apply post-dip once the milking unit is removed. This dip is applied to the teat to help control the bacteria load on the teat. The sphincter muscle on the teat end will be open for 30 minutes after milking. The post-dip will help to prevent bacteria from entering the teat canal. When applying teat dip, you must cover ¾ of the teat for adequate coverage.  Ensure complete coverage, not just one side of the teat. Using a dip cup to apply teat dips can help to ensure full coverage.

Everyone in the milking facility must follow the same steps in the standard operating procedure (SOP). Cows are used to a routine, and altering that routine can cause letdown and milking disruptions. However, everyone in your facility needs to follow the same procedures.

There are many factors in harvesting high-quality milk. Ensure all employees and family members are adequately trained and follow the same SOP. With these procedures in place, your facility is moving in the right direction. An online course, "Dairy Skills: Milking Management," is available through Penn State Extension. In addition, resources on developing standard operating procedures and an associated writing guide are available on the Extension website.