Total Bacteria Count (TBC) in Milk

Most Co-ops in Ireland have a standard set Total Bacteria Count (TBC) of between 40 - 50 thousand in their milk samples. For farmers to achieve top prices for their milk they must have a TBC of less than 50 thousand.

In the past 5 to 10 years it has become increasingly difficult for farmers to keep their TBC below 50 thousand. Some reasons for this include the expansion of farm size, larger herd sizes and larger milking parlours and bulk tanks. The exact reason can vary from farm to farm.

At Cleanline Farm Services Ltd. we can carry out a full on farm audit of the wash routine for for milking parlours and bulk tanks. Water quality, detergent volumes and quality , teat preperation, pre-milking cct all have an impact on regular low TBC levels.

Over the past 20 years farmers who use BFS Detergent/Descaler have been able to keep TBC levels between 5 and 12 thousand all year round, getting top prices for their high quality milk.

For more information contact us or fill in our enquiry form.