There is nothing more frustrating than persistent high bacteria counts. The CIP detectives were recently called to a 249-cow dairy in Wisconsin facing just this problem.

High bacteria counts are always a concern for a dairy, but fluctuating bacteria counts can signify even more complex problems. The CIP detectives recently visited a 300-cow dairy in northwestern Wisconsin that was facing such a problem.

Typical alkaline detergents are effective in water temperatures from 170°F down to 120°F and, in most CIP situations, that’s an acceptable range. However, when called to diagnose CIP system issues, we more often than not find that water temperatures are inadequate at the end of the cleaning cycle to fully clean the system. This situation is common when dairies expand their system while trying to get by with the same water heater. For these dairies, low-temperature detergents can be beneficial until an adequate heating system can be installed.

Regardless of which hemisphere you call home, if you run a dairy, maintenance issues can sneak up on you. The CIP Detectives were recently called to an 800-cow operation in Japan to catch any culprits that could be affecting milk quality. The dairy in Japan was ISO-certified for environmental management and had been successfully operating for more than 100 years. They had a 60-stall rotary parlor with a 90-lb-per-day milk average.

High-performing CIP systems are important for the health and well-being of everyone who consumes milk, even the first customer in line for a serving – the dairy calf. At least that’s what one calf ranch operator from Texas learned recently. Calves were becoming increasingly ill with no explanation. All the usual suspects were checked: housing, bedding, feeding and health protocols. This rancher was running out of leads.