I love springtime—it feels like we're finally waking up from hibernation and coming back to life! From the blooming plants to the animals reappearing, spring brings a fresh start and lots of growth. But not all growth is good. As the days get warmer and more humid, bacteria start to grow too. That means we often see more cases of clinical and subclinical mastitis in our dairy cows.

Equipment checks are essential for success and keeping milking equipment in tip-top shape. Now is a great time to go over milking routines with your milkers. During the cold winter months, it's easy to fall into bad habits or skip steps. A quick review can help catch any issues before they affect milk quality. Winter can also be rough on farm equipment. Spring is the perfect time to check for damage, like cracked hose nozzles or other broken parts that need fixing. And while we are giving our equipment a thorough once-over, we should also remember that spring means spring cleaning! Below, I've listed some common areas that often get missed while cleaning and can hide bacteria that harm your cows or lower milk quality.

Buckets - Plastic buckets that are frequently used for milking, feeding, or watering should be checked for scratches. Any scratches on these surfaces create grooves that are an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Buckets with deep scratches should be replaced.

Drinking Nipples - The nipples used for calves to suckle milk can often get overlooked in the cleaning process. Due to their design, they can be difficult to clean and dry out properly and frequently start to grow some harmful bacteria that the calves ingest with every meal. Any nipples that start to get worn out or have visible mold on them should be replaced immediately.

Rubber Milking Equipment - A recent study (Medina et al., 2025) found that biofilms, which are a community of bacteria that stick to one another to form a film over a surface, are drawn to form on rubber materials that are integral in the milking process. Biofilms can often become a protective layer for the bacteria that is not destroyed by regular washing of these rubber parts. Getting rid of it usually requires mechanical scrubbing and a correctly formulated soap to start to chip away at it. The easiest and most sanitary way to deal with them is regular replacement of rubber parts to prevent biofilm buildups. Rubber parts to be regularly replaced can include gaskets, liners, and milk and vacuum hoses. Generally speaking, replacing parts such as milk liners every 6 months is a good practice. Refer to the product manufacturer for specific details on how frequently each item should be replaced.

Plate Coolers - Plate coolers can be a farmer's best friend when it comes to milk cooling and energy efficiency. Yet as critical as this equipment is to the farm, they tend to get neglected, and this can affect milk quality. Gaskets should be inspected to make sure they are not deteriorating and contaminating the bulk tank. The BC Milk Marketing board suggests you, "clean plates by manually applying a cleaning agent and rinsing it off with a soft‐bristle brush and high‐pressure washer, with care taken to not loosen or dislodge the gaskets."  

Spring is a season of renewal, and that spirit extends to the barn. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it will hopefully get you started on tackling some spring cleaning. Taking the time to refresh equipment, routines, and cleaning protocols can make all the difference in milk quality and herd health. Say goodbye to dirty equipment and hello to quality milk and healthy cows—out with the mold, in with the moo!

Source: Medina, C., Manriquez, D., Gonzalez-Córdova, B. A., Pacha, P. A., Vidal, J. M., Oliva, R., & Latorre, A. A. (2025). Biofilm Forming Ability of Staphylococcus aureus on Materials Commonly Found in Milking Equipment Surfaces. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.20...