Suggested Procedures for Taking a Sanitary Individual Cow Sample

Start with clean and dry teats. Keep your hands clean throughout the sampling procedure, by using rubber gloves for best results.

Cow Sample Step 1

Step One

Predip or wash teats and then wipe dry.

Cow Sample Step 2

Step Two

Clean teat end off with cotton ball wetted with a 70% alcohol solution. Other products to use are alcohol wipes, Boumatic Kleen & Dry wipes or A&L Sani-Wipes.

Cow Sample Step 3

Step Three

Strip three or four strips of milk out onto the ground or strip cup to flush out the streak canal.

Cow Sample Step 4

Step Four

A single strip of milk is directed into a sterile sample bottle. The bottle is held at a slight angle to minimize any possible contamination that may fall from the udder. For composite cow cultures a single strip from each quarter is directed into the tube.

Do not attempt to fill the bottle!

Cow Sample Step 5

Step Five

Seal the bottle immediately after the sample is collected. Properly label all the samples and place them on ice or freeze the samples.

Coordinating the timing of the sampling, both for individual samples and bulk tank samples should be discussed with your Saputo Field Representative and milk hauler to insure prompt and accurate results with proper quality control in transit to the lab. Samples are taken into the Waupun Veterinarian Service lab Monday through Thursday for plating and identification.