As of January 2022, Irish dairy farmers must now ensure that they clean their milking parlours and bulk milk tanks, using only chlorine-free products, as part of their daily cleaning wash routines.
At the time of writing, the strong performance of the Irish dairy market has helped farmers to benefit from higher prices per-litre paid for each drop of milk produced and the use of chlorine-free products has an important part to play in this process.
The mandatory switch to using chlorine-free cleaning products greatly reduces the levels of trichloromethane (TCM) and chlorate residues in milk, in line with milk processor’s requirements.
This ultimately allows dairy farmers to ensure the best price is paid for each litre of milk they produce.
Kersia Chlorine Free Wash Programme
Kersia has been developing a range of chlorine-free chemical products for many years, ensuring its products are effective to clean and disinfect all parts of the milking machine equipment and the bulk milk tanks.
To summarise, the company’s chlorine-free cleaning regime has been designed to be simple to follow and use, and to help ensure that TCM levels in the final milk yield output remain ultra-low.
To achieve this, five and six-stage cleaning programmes, both of which have been Teagasc tested, have been developed. The five-stage, Teagasc-tested wash programme incorporates Kersia’s main chlorine-free detergent Autosan Blue, and Kersia’s three-in-one detergent, descaler and disinfectant, Hypracid One.
Whilst the six-stage, Teagasc-tested wash programme combines a peracetic acid rinse, coupled with Kersia’s traditional products, all of which are chlorine-free.
Both the five and six-stage wash programmes have been used successfully by many Irish dairy farmers already.
Below are easy-to-understand graphs showcasing Kersia’s five and six-stage, chlorine-free cleaning programmes.
Five-stage cleaning programme
This wash programme involves using Autosan Blue and Hypracid One.
Six-stage cleaning programme
This programme involves using Autosan Blue, Autoscan Red and Virodox.
Bulk milk tank and milking machine cleaning
Kersia recommends the following chlorine-free cleaning products for milking parlour daily and weekly wash programmes.
Hypracid One
Hypracid One is a unique, three-in-one chlorine-free detergent, descaler and disinfectant. It is phosphoric acid free, helping to eliminate TCM and chlorate residues in bulk milk tanks.
Hypracid One is also kind to milking rubber-ware, nitric acid free and is also an environmentally friendly disinfectant.
For best results, it is recommended that Hypracid One is used only with hot water.
The detergents
Autosan blue
Autosan Blue is Kersia’s proven low foaming, alkaline, chlorine-free detergent. It provides a high-performance caustic alkaline solution that can be used in both hot and cold water.
Autosan Blue is suitable for use in all milking parlours, bulk milk tanks and robotic/electronic cleaning systems. It has been sold for many years to Irish dairy farmers as an effective, chlorine-free detergent.
Watch the video on chlorine-free cleaning below.
Clearway Plus
Clearway Plus is a chlorine-free circulation powder, specially formulated for use in hard water areas and for cold wash cleaning. However, it can be used hot or cold at a usage rate of 226g/45L of water.
Clearway Plus has been used extensively for many years by Irish dairy farmers to deliver effective results as it removes surface dirt from clusters and jetters. It is specifically formulated to help reduce TCM and chlorate levels in milk yields.
Milking parlour and robotic disinfectants
Virodox
Virodox is a peracetic acid sanitiser. It can be used in the final rinse post-milking on regular milking parlours, in cluster dipping and spraying and on automatic cluster flush systems. It is available in 25L and 200L drums.
Autoscan Red
Autoscan Red is an extra-strength, low foaming phosphoric acid cleaner. It is suitable for use with all automated milking equipment, including robots. It is available in 20L and 200L drums.
Repeat the above cleaning routine after evening milking, using cold water (cold wash) in the main wash cycle.
Watch the Kersia chlorine-free cleaning video using Autosan Blue and Autosan Red below.
A sample chlorine-free weekly wash programme for your milking machines from Kersia can be found below.
In summary
Kersia’s range of chlorine-free solutions is suitable for all types of milking parlours and bulk milk tanks.
Its range of specially developed products can help to greatly reduce chlorate and TCM levels in milk, whilst consistently providing and maintaining low TBCs. This ensures Irish dairy farmers receive the best price for every litre of milk produced.
Teagasc tested
Both Kersia’s five-stage and six-stage chlorine-free programmes have been tested under Teagasc’s controlled testing protocols at Kilworth Research Farm, Moorepark in 2017, using Autosan Blue and Autosan Red and in 2020, using Autosan Blue and Hypracid One.
Both tests concluded that a chlorine-free routine was as effective as standard cleaning protocols and at a comparable cost.
Find out more
To find out more on how to implement Kersia’s chlorine-free cleaning programme, contact your local Kersia representatives, the details of which are below.
- Michael Collins: 087 375 1202; MICHAEL.COLLINS@KERSIA-GROUP.COM;
- James Luttrell: 087 272 1022; JAMES.LUTTRELL@KERSIA-GROUP.COM;
- Emma Kerrigan: +44 (0)79 7395 6296; EMMA.KERRIGAN@KERSIA-GROUP.COM.
Please note, disinfectants are regulatory biocides. Before use, read the label and product information and use biocides safely.
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