Do farm audits improve milk quality?

Discipline: quality; Key words: bulk milk, certification scheme, second-party audit, hygiene

Milk quality in terms of bacterial count needs to be monitored regularly to support a quality and safe product to the consumer. Therefore, continuous on-farm evaluation by knowledgeable individuals or agencies is essential and should be supported. The question is how effective is regular auditing in improving milk quality. Scientists in the Netherlands decided to investigate. The results of authors A. Flores-Miyamoto, M.W. Reii and A.G.J. Velthuis were published in the Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 97, pages 1 to 9 of 2014 under the appropriate title: Do farm audits improve milk quality?                                                                

Milk quality is assessed using bulk milk analysis and by farm audits in the Netherlands. For the study, the authors collected data from over 13,000 audits performed on 12,855 dairy farms from February 2006 to April 2008. The audits were supported by laboratory test results of 325,150 bulk milk samples collected 6 months before and after the audit. A statistical model was used to study whether the total bacterial counts of bulk milk were lower during the periods before and after the dairy farm audit.            

The results showed that the total bacterial counts were 2 to 6% lower for a period from 1.5 to at least 6 months after an audit. Several variables were significantly associated with bulk milk total bacterial counts: seasonality, total number of attention points (given if some checklist points were not appropriate), audit type, audit result, and the categories milking equipment maintenance, and utility room-tank maintenance. Total bacterial counts increased with a higher level of attention points. Furthermore, the farms rejected based on the audit results had the highest average total bacterial counts and the approved farms had the lowest. If dairy farms had an overall negative audit assessment and consequently needed a re-audit in the following year, the total bacterial counts of bulk milk were more likely to be higher.                                                                                                                           

Thus, the results in relation to the question asked appear positive, and the authors concluded that auditing may provide dairy farmers the opportunity to receive advice about factors that influence bulk milk total bacterial counts for a period of at least 6 months following the audit.