DAIRY HYGIENE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1935, Page 24 (Supplement)

DAIRY HYGIENE

SOME NEW REGULATIONS BETTER SHEDS WANTED. Regulations under the Dairy Industry Act are considerably strengthened by a series of amendments recently gazetted and should interest Taranaki dairy farmers. Specifications for the internal construction of milking sheds are provided in place of the more general requirements of the original regulations. The floor and walls to a height of at least 4ft are to be of cement concrete. An adequate system of open floor drains and gutters must discharge by an open concrete drain into a concrete sump not less than 30ft from the outside of the building. The interior walls and roof of every shed are to be coated with white oil paint or whitewash, and this must be renewed as necessary.

A new regulation lays down requirements for the construction of milkhouses or other buildings used for the collection, deposit, treatment or storage of milk. Floors must be of concrete or other impervious material, properly graded and drained. The internal surface of the walls is to be lined and finished 'With an even surface of tiles, cement, or other waterproof material, and the angles between floor and wall must be rounded off. “The ceiling or roof must be constructed with a smooth finish and so as to be dust-proof. Screened ventilation openings equal in total to at least one-eighth of the floor area are to be provided in at least two walls. No new milk-house may be erected except on a site approved by the inspector. The regulation is not to apply to existing premises which in the inspector’s opinion are in a satisfactory condition.

The requirement that dairy utensils shall be cleansed within four hours of use is altered to require immediate cleansing. It is also laid down that every owner or occupier of a dairy shall provide or cause to be provided in or adjacent to his dairy premises a sufficient water supply. The old regulations merely required an adequate plant for boiling water. The use of bottles for vending milk or cream is governed by new regulations which provide that bottles may not be used unless they have been cleaned by a prescribed process and sterilised in a steam chest for 15 minutes. Mechanical bottle-fillers must be capable of being taken apart and readily cleaned, and they must be so treated immediately after use.

Sealing discs are to be kept in sealed sanitary containers Until required for use, and once in place the dises are not to be removed or tampered with. A disc may not be used more than once, and it is an offence for a dairyman to have discs in his possession while actually distributing milk. Cartons may not-be used more than once as containers for milk or cream. Every person engaged in the handling of milk is required to maintain his clothing and person in a state of cleanliness. No vehicle used for the cartage of live or dead animals may be used for carrying milk or cream.