Low fpd

In the pit

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembrokeshire
I think the reason that fpd's raise such emotion is that there is a general feeling, if you fail, that you are being accused of watering down your milk. That is they way some of the dairies approach it - certainly ours does, that it must be something we are doing 'wrong', that something must be broken, or leaking, that someone left a pipe in the tank (impossible in our parlour). Being paid 10p/litre is very demoralising and as I pointed out, something that our dairy then reports to RT who then send you a snotty email saying make sure you complete your complaints file and WE WILL BE CHECKING UP ON YOU.

Factors affecting butterfat content are widely understood. Factors affecting fpds are much less well understood. AHDB have update their guidance again to include reference to energy and protein levels in the diet rather than just water intakes and sodium levels, but it is very woolly. It is all to do with internal osmosis in the cow and it is not as straightforward as some posters on here (and some dairies) try to pretend.
Yes that's true but going straight to the cows drinking habits rather than checking out the things under your control isn't the way to cure the problem
 
Location
southwest
Yes that's true but going straight to the cows drinking habits rather than checking out the things under your control isn't the way to cure the problem

If milk straight from the cow can fail the "test" then the test is the problem.

If you get sent a speeding ticket or parking fine, do you just pay it on the basis that "they" say you are guilty so you must be? The Camera must be right-even if you were miles away at the time?

At least the police etc offer you a chance to question the fine. Dairies just jump in and fine you --guilty without trial.
 

In the pit

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembrokeshire
If milk straight from the cow can fail the "test" then the test is the problem.

If you get sent a speeding ticket or parking fine, do you just pay it on the basis that "they" say you are guilty so you must be? The Camera must be right-even if you were miles away at the time?

At least the police etc offer you a chance to question the fine. Dairies just jump in and fine you --guilty without trial.
I get what your saying but he should of exhausted every other way that milk can get in too the tank before saying it's the cows
I've milked cows for 30+ years and only ever had low fpd recently (plate cooler issues)
One farm I was on had a 20mm mains supply so we had a big water tank in the collecting yard ,never had fpd trouble
 

Kiss

Member
Location
North west
I have to run an entire wash vat of rinse water into the tank to get a reaction to the freeze test. ( employee accident) So 140 gallons into 6000. Otherwise it never varies throughout the year. I think the test being used in your country is faulty.

Farm I grew up on we ran the rinse water into the tank for 30 years. Only 45 gallons or so but was never an issue.

Sounds like the test in your country is faulty also
 

Cowmansam

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Shropshire
I’d agree much more likely to be plant than cows you can get odd results from cows but it’s normally the plant easy way to find out your not milking many sample every cow send them off
 

Fools Gold

Member
Livestock Farmer
I get what your saying but he should of exhausted every other way that milk can get in too the tank before saying it's the cows
I've milked cows for 30+ years and only ever had low fpd recently (plate cooler issues)
One farm I was on had a 20mm mains supply so we had a big water tank in the collecting yard ,never had fpd trouble
I would agree with this, check the whole plant over for problems
I had a low result from a sample ( milk buyer didn’t complain) and when I looked the receiver jar wasn’t draining properly due to a bit of plastic from a claw bowl stalk stuck in the auto drain pipe, things can easily happen and go unnoticed
 

Agrispeed

Member
Location
Cornwall
A good one I found was the milk pump flap holding water in the line, quite often the drain is between this and the pump. It won't hold much water, but it can be enough, especially with low volumes. Bottom fill hoses can also do this if they have a non-return. it doesn't take much to alter FPD by quite a lot!
 

Dead Rabbits

Member
Location
'Merica
Sounds like the test in your country is faulty also
I would have to agree. I think the testing process in our country is a joke. At least the one used on us. High tech in 1950 but outdated now.

Although the freezing point test worked the 1 time when someone accidentally ran the rinse water into the tank.
 

Martyn

Member
Location
South west
I get what your saying but he should of exhausted every other way that milk can get in too the tank before saying it's the cows
I've milked cows for 30+ years and only ever had low fpd recently (plate cooler issues)
One farm I was on had a 20mm mains supply so we had a big water tank in the collecting yard ,never had fpd trouble
I have a feeling it is often geographic related, we have milked cows on 3 different tenancys very similar parlour arrangements and issue of 1 farm out of the three. I'm sure some farms do get water accidently in the tank but when you keep the milk pipe of the tank when you start milking, feeding the first bucket full come though after any remaining rinse to calves and then use an air purge to blow through after milking it does make you question the situation. I think it's a far higher issue with grazing herds so expect it's a nutrition issue which is challenging when the diet only consists of grass!
 

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
I have a feeling it is often geographic related, we have milked cows on 3 different tenancys very similar parlour arrangements and issue of 1 farm out of the three. I'm sure some farms do get water accidently in the tank but when you keep the milk pipe of the tank when you start milking, feeding the first bucket full come though after any remaining rinse to calves and then use an air purge to blow through after milking it does make you question the situation. I think it's a far higher issue with grazing herds so expect it's a nutrition issue which is challenging when the diet only consists of grass!
There has been a conversation around minerals as well.
 

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