Israeli Cattle Breeders Association

Milk Quality

Cost-efficient production of milk is the first indispensable step towards the survival of dairy operators, farmers and processors alike -but the real challenge goes far beyond and regards the market as a whole, including eventual particularities of consumer demand and taste. Since the milk produced on the farm constitutes the exclusive raw material for the entire dairy industry, the accent is on quality.

In recent months, the board of directors* of the Israel Dairy Board (IDB) decided and ratified the new standards for milk quality, for the time being at the dairy plant gate.

Milk collection and delivery to plant - every day, except Saturdays and Holidays.

Temperature - 4°C at collection, 7° C at plant gate.

Acidity -< 6.8deg SH, Full Price.

> 6.8deg, SH Not acceptable.

Freezing point - Indicates added water, maybe inadvertently while flushing milk pumps;
< 1% Full Price.
> 1% For every liter of added water, a penalty of the price of two liters Grade A Milk.

Milk Inhibitors - (Antibiotics, disinfectants, etc.) All milk is checked before being accepted at the processing plant. Milk not passing a “Delvo-X-Press” test is not accepted, besides a penalty of 50% on the entire delivery value for first offenders, and 150% penalty for multiple offenders.

Total Bacterial Count (TBC) – 3 random monthly tests

Category	Payment
Superior < 10,000 bacteria/ml.	Flexible Premium
Grade A - 11,000 – 75,000 bacteria/ml.	Full target price
Grade B - 75,000 bacteria/ml.	3% Penalty

Somatic Cell Count (SCC) - Arithmetical average of all milk marketed monthly. SCC checked at every collection.

Grade	Cells/ml.	Payment
Superior	< 220,000	100.4%
Grade A	221,000 – 280,000	100%
Grade B	281,000 – 325,000	98%
Grade C	326,000 – 375,000	93%
Grade D	375,000	92%*

*3 consecutive months above 500,000, milk disqualified at processing plant on arrival.

Consistently strict observance of good milking procedures and hygienic cleaning operations will conduce to better milk quality, and ensure full payment for the milk produced and shipped to the dairy plant. Also, the production of high quality milk might well be the key to survival of the diligent dairy farmer and indeed, the entire dairy Industry.

*The board of directors IDB is composed of delegates from government ministries, dairy processors and producers (ICBA)