Copy of `USA Dairy Glossary - Milk terms`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

USA Dairy Glossary - Milk terms Category: Food and Drink > Milk Date & country: 04/06/2011, USA Words: 170

Mastitis
An inflammation of the mammary gland (or glands), usually caused by bacteria.

Milking Pit
A sunken area that houses both the milker and some milking equipment during milking. This places the milker at shoulder level with udders and reduces physical demands.

Milk House Waste
Water having been used in cleaning the milking equipment and washing the parlor.

Milk House
The area near a milking parlor where the bulk milk tank, cleaning units, and equipment are located.

Milk Handlers
Processors or dealers of milk who commonly purchase raw milk and sell pasteurized milk and milk products.

Mycoplasma
An organism capable of causing mastitis.

Nitrification
The biochemical oxidation of ammonium to nitrate, predominantly by autotrophic bacteria.

Non-Return Dip Cup
A dip cup that does not allow the liquid to reenter and potentially contaminate the storage container.

Organic Material
Substances containing plant or animal substance. In the context of milking equipment this usually refers to manure.

Over the Counter Drugs
Medications available without prescription.

Oxytocin
A naturally secreted hormone that is important in milk letdown and the contraction of the smooth uterine muscles during the birthing process.

Pathogen
Any microorganism that produces disease (bacteria, viruses, yeasts, molds and parasites).

Pasture
Plants, such as grass, grown for feeding or grazing animals. Also serves as a place to feed cattle and other livestock.

Parlor
The specialized area on the dairy farm where milking is performed. Parlors come in many types:

Parakeratosis
Any abnormality of the horny layer of the outer skin which prevents the formation of keratin.

Paint Sticks
Contain liquid or chalky paint used for marking treated cows.

Paddocks
Subdivision of a pasture designed to provide short-duration grazing followed by an appropriate (related to species, soil type and weather conditions) rest period for regrowth and stand maintenance.

Pendulous Udder
A loosely attached udder.

Pit
A contained unit usually with concrete walls in which liquid or semi-liquid manure is stored.

Pipeline
A stainless steel or glass pipe used for transporting milk.

Plate Cooler
A heat exchanger in which water at ground temperature or chilled water is used to cool milk prior to its movement to the bulk milk tank.

Post-Milking Teat Dip
A product applied after milking to protect the teat from contagious pathogens that may have come into contact with the teat during the milking process.

Prescription Drugs
Drugs that the FDA has determined must be used only under the direction and supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

Pre-Milking Teat Dip
A product applied in preparation for milking to clean the teat and reduce the spread of disease and maintain healthy teats.

Rapid Exit
Panels or rails that raise to release all cows on one side of the milking parlor at once.

Return Alley
The alley through which cows must pass when moving from the milking parlor back to the cow housing area after milking.

Replacements Heifers
Often ones being raised to replace the cows currently in the herd.

Ring Feeder
A steel hoop with individual head gates that may be placed over a large round bale of hay when feeding it.

Rotary Parlor
A raised, round rotating platform or carousel on which cows ride while being milked.

Robotic Parlor
A completely automated system for milking cows that requires limited human contact.

Ruminant
Animals having four stomach compartments

Sand Separator
A mechanical device or series of course ways used to settle sand from sand-laden manure.

Scrape-and-Haul
Manure handling system in which manure is scrape manually or with a skidloader, placed in a solid manure spreader and directly applied to appropriate crop land.

Settling Pond
A manure pit where the flow rate of liquid manure is slowed to allow suspended materials to collect at the bottomed, where they can later be removed.

Sensitivity Tests
Tests used to determine the most effective method of treatment of disease by testing the resistance of the microorganism to classes of antibiotics.

Sire
Father or male parent in a pedigree.

Silo
A storage facility for silage. Usually referring to upright concrete or fiberglass silos.

Silage Bags
Large plastic tubes in which forages are fermented. Plastic is removed and discarded as the ensiled feed is fed.

Silage
A feed prepared by chopping green forage (e.g. grass, legumes, field corn) and placing the material in a structure or container designed to exclude air. The material then undergoes fermentation, retarding spoilage. Silage has a water content of between 60 and 80%.

Slotted Floor
A concrete floor design in which slats are positioned in the floor so that cow traffic may work manure through the slats and into a pit beneath the floor of the barn.

Somatic Cells
The combination of the leukocytes (white blood cells) from blood and the epithelial cells from the secretory tissue of the udder which indicate the presence of infection or injury in the animal.

Somatic Cell Score
A logarithmic representation of the SCC, often referred to as linear scores because they are linearly related to milk production loss.

Somatic cell count (SCC)
The number of white blood cells per milliliter of milk or measurement of the number of somatic cells present in a sample of milk. A high concentration of more than 500,000 somatic cells per milliliter of milk indicates abnormal condition in the udder. This serves as an indicator of mastitis infection when elevated above 200,000.

Sphincter
A ring-shaped muscle that allows an opening to close tightly, such as the sphincter muscle in the lower end of a cow's teat.

Strip Cup
A small cup or device to collect forestrippings and which makes abnormal milk easier to observe.

Sterile
Clean, free of any living organisms. Also means unable to reproduce.

Step-Up Parlor
Cows step onto raised platforms for milking. The milking units are attached from the side.

Stanchion
a device with two rails that was closed around a cows neck after she entered a stall and to keep her restrained in the stall.

Stall
A cow housing cubicle.

Superhutches
Calf housing structures, often open on one side, designed for a small number of calves when first grouped immediately after weaning.

Subway
An area beneath the milking pit that houses milk meters, pipelines, vacuum lines and transfer tanks to reduce noise and improve the milker's ability to move around in the pit.

Subcutaneous
Under the skin.

Subclinical
A disease condition without symptoms but often resulting in decreased production or impaired milk quality.

Swing Parlor
Parlor characterized by having the milking units positioned in the middle of the parlor for use by cows on both sides.

Tandem Parlor
Parlor design where cows line up head to tail in individually opening stalls.

Tail Bands
Used for marking treated cows. Rubber bands are sometimes used to dock cow's tails.

Teat Sealant
A product that forms a mechanical barrier on the teat end to protect the teat. Generally used at dry-off after antibiotic infusion.

Teat Dip
Pre and Post-milking

Teat
The appendage on the udder through which milk from the udder flows.

Throughput
The number of cows that can be milked in a parlor in a given period of time.

Tie Stall Parlor
Facility is frequently used for both housing and milking. Cows are tied and milked with the cow and operator on the same level.

Toxic
Harmful.

Total Mixed Ration (TMR)
Ration formulated to meet requirements of the cow in which all of the ingredients are blended together in a mixer.

Transition Housing
Barns designed especially for transition cows, often including a maternity area.

Transition Cow
A cow that is from 2 months before 1 month after expected calving date.

Udder
The encased group of mammary glands provided with teats or nipples as in a cow, ewe, mare or sow. Also referred to as a bag.

Veal
A calf (usually male) that is raised on milk and is intended to be used for meat at a young age. Veal meat is served at many restaurants and is very popular in cultural cuisine.

Walk-Through Parlor
Upon completion of milking, cows walk through the front of the stall to exit.

Withdrawal Time
Time required after the last drug treatment to lower drug residues to acceptable levels. These times are established using healthy animals according to label directions. An amount of time required following use of a medication in an animal before milk or meat can be entered into the human food supply. Ensures residues are maintained at levels approved by the USDA.

Yeast
An organism that can grow and develop in the udder, causing mastitis.