Dairy Sheep Symposium - the Department of Animal Sciences ...

REGULATIONS FOR SHEEP MILK
Bruce Carroll
Food Safety Supervisor
Wisconsin Division of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Division of Food Safety
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
History
The WDATCP Food Division, became aware of and began regulating dairy sheep operations
in 1989. Hal Kohler of Polk County was the first licensed sheep milker in Wisconsin. At that
time sheep milk was not defined as “milk” by State Statute 97 and therefore was not governed by
dairy regulations.
The Food Division made the decision to license these early sheep milk farms as food processors.
However, it was presumed that eventually these farms would come under the dairy regulation.
Guidelines were therefore developed to permit sheep milkers to eventually be licensed as
dairy farms.
In 1994 State Statute 97 was amended to include sheep milk in the definition of milk. At that
point ATCP 60 became the regulation governing sheep dairies. Since that time, the Food Division
has been working with dairy sheep producers to license farms according to Wisconsin
Administrative Code ATCP 60, the dairy farm regulation.
Licensing
Wisconsin Administrative Code ATCP 60 requires that all dairy farms in Wisconsin be
licensed. The customary way of becoming a licensed farm in Wisconsin is to first choose a
plant to receive the milk. The plant then has the responsibility to insure that minimum requirements
for a grade B dairy farm are met. Once the requirements are met, the inspector is informed
and a licensing inspection takes place.
• Acceptable farm conditions shall include minimum physical facility standards as follows:
• A suitable milking barn with a concrete floor, walls and ceiling in good repair and cleanable,
adequate lighting.
• A suitable milk house with a concrete floor, walls and ceiling in good repair and cleanable,
doors and windows properly installed, adequate lighting, and a hose port if a bulk tank is
used for the collection of milk.
• A safe water supply. Note: Water supplies of grade B farms are not subject to enforcement
action of Chapter NR 112, Wisconsin Administrative Code by WDATCP staff.
• Hot and cold water under pressure.
• A two compartment wash sink and a hand wash sink.
• Utensils, containers, and equipment shall be of proper design and material.
• A toilet convenient to the milking operation.
• A suitable way of cooling milk under 45° within two (2) hours of milking and freezing milk
and keeping it frozen at 0°F or less.
After assuring that the above minimum requirements are met and receiving a properly filled
out dairy producer application and inspection form from the plant, the inspector will either grant
or deny the dairy producer license. Once the license is granted, it is the plant’s responsibility to
perform quality tests including antibiotic screening before accepting any milk.