Milk Producer - March 2009 - (Page 40)

APPLIEDSCIENCE By Greg Keefe and Ahmed Elmoslemany How quality pays off P.E.I. raw milk program puts accent on stringent standards to put better dairy products in consumer refrigerators T he Prince Edward Island dairy industry’s commitment to improving the province’s raw milk quality is showing real, measurable results for consumers and processors. Producers, meanwhile, are earning bonus payments for shipping milk that meets the higher, more stringent standards. In 2005, Dairy Farmers of Prince Edward Island (DFPEI) joined processors Amalgamated Dairies Limited (ADL) and Purity Dairy to sponsor Atlantic Veterinary College research into milk quality, in conjunction with the province’s Agriculture Research Investment Fund. The research project’s broad goal was documenting more precisely the province’s current milk quality through a series of enhanced laboratory tests. It was also designed to pinpoint risks associated with quality deficits through on-farm assessments. Raw milk quality can influence post-pasteurization milk quality in several ways. While pasteurization kills bacteria that affect food safety, some microbes that can affect quality—but not safety—may survive pasteurization, and reduce shelf-life through post-pasteurization growth. Additionally, bacteria may produce enzymes that break down butterfat and protein, altering milk flavour. Finally, milk with high somatic cell counts (SCCs) has a higher level of inflammatory compounds, which survive pasteurization and can reduce shelf life and product quality. “The level of data collection regarding cow and barn hygiene, milking time practices, and machine function and equipment wash analysis is unprecedented,” says DFPEI udder health specialist Ron Sampson, who participated in the study. Results of the risk factor study will be available soon. While data analysis for Raw milk produced to higher standards has resulted in a 58 per cent reduction in qualityrelated consumer calls. Maritime Quality Milk makes debut Industry driven projects, such as the P.E.I. quality program, as well as those of the Canadian Bovine Mastitis Network, have led to the development of Maritime Quality Milk (MQM), a new research and service centre at the Atlantic Veterinary College. MQM’s integrated research and service capacity is unparalleled in the Canadian dairy industry. Its broad goal is to increase the economic value of Atlantic Canada’s dairy-based food industries through research-validated technological services. MQM will help the regional dairy industry meet the quality challenges inherent in the competitive dairy industry. It is developing and evaluating new technologies, and will offer productivity and disease surveillance services to the industry. Access to these services will improve raw milk quality at the farmgate and decrease costs associated with monitoring and disease. MQM receives funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Atlantic Innovation Fund. To keep up-to-date on MQM activities, visit www.milkquality.ca. 40 | March 2009 | MilkPRODUCER http://www.milkquality.ca

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Milk Producer - March 2009

Milk Producer - March 2009
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
DFC Promotion
Farm Finance
P5Pool Update
Issues Update
Weathering the Storm
Research
Applied Science
Ruminations
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

Milk Producer - March 2009