Sanitation and sustainability protocols revitalize dairy operations
By MWI Animal Health
Efficiency and sustainability are both critical concerns for dairy producers. You aim to ensure operations are not only effective but also sustainable for future generations. With increasing scrutiny on minimizing resource use and environmental impact, it is essential to explore how modern sanitation processes can help.
While you may equate sustainability with conservation, it extends beyond that. Today’s dairy producers are sustainable with natural resources, like water, but are also embracing sustainable thinking around time and finances. Sustainable practices can enable dairies to be more efficient with these precious resources, creating wins for their animals, their employees, our planet, and even their bottom line.
“I think dairy is really leading the way in a lot of these sustainability efforts,” says Tara Vander Dussen. She brings expertise in both the dairy industry and sustainability to the conversation. Vander Dussen and her husband own a dairy in New Mexico. She is an environmental scientist by training and spent 10 years as an environmental consultant to the dairy industry.
The dairy industry at-large has some ambitious sustainability goals. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has committed to the following by 2050:
- Achieving greenhouse gas neutrality
- Optimizing water use while maximizing recycling
- Improving water quality by optimizing utilization of manure and nutrients
Each dairy operation contributes to these goals through their everyday resource use. Vander Dussen acknowledges, “I think these are lofty goals in that time frame but are very much something we can hit.”
The significance of sanitation in dairy farming
One space where optimizing water use and recycling is key is sanitation, a cornerstone of dairy farming, that ensures high-quality milk production and maintains the health of the herd. Clean equipment and facilities reduce the risk of milk spoilage and waste. Maintaining high sanitation standards can lead to better milk quality and higher market prices, ensuring the farm’s economic sustainability.
However, traditional sanitation methods often involve significant resource consumption, not only impacting the environment but raising operational costs as well. This traditional approach not only wastes resources but also introduces variability in cleaning effectiveness. By adopting advanced sanitation protocols, dairy producers can achieve consistent cleanliness while minimizing resource use.
MWI Animal Health's solutions enable that connection between sanitation and sustainability. Our consultants work with dairy producers to demonstrate how much hot water is needed and for how long it needs to run to effectively sanitize the barn. Using less water from the outset when cleaning the troughs means customers won't need to dump excess water.
Leveling chemical usage through advanced sanitation processes
One of the most significant ways to minimize resource use in dairy sanitation is by keeping chemical use at consistent levels. MWI offers advanced sanitation solutions that precisely control the amount of chemicals used, ensuring no more and no less than what is needed. Eric Chavez, Territory Manager-Livestock for MWI's Micro Technologies explains, "Before the introduction of our technology, dairy producers often used hand pumps and manual methods, leading to overuse of chemicals."
Our automation gives us the ability to call for the exact amount of water needed to ensure chemical levels are consistent for each wash. Our customers, therefore, save on water consumption by using the least amount needed with the correct amount of chemicals to ensure a good, consistent wash. Such technology promotes less waste and more customer confidence in Micro’s ability to clean the barn.
By implementing these solutions, dairy producers can minimize the chemicals that enter their lagoons and reduce their environmental footprint. This meticulous control not only ensures better environmental outcomes but also supports the health and safety of employees by minimizing their exposure to harsh chemicals. Chavez adds, "Taking powdered detergents out of the hands of the employees, where they are very likely to breathe it when scooping it while adding it to a wash, is another safety measure MWI offers."
Maintaining consistent chemical usage has ripple effects outside of the barn. From an environmental sustainability perspective, releasing fewer chemicals into the lagoon and the atmosphere is a net gain. From a fiscal sustainability perspective, using less chemicals means buying less chemicals, and so, the dairy saves money.
Automation: Saving time and resources
MWI's sanitation processes incorporate automation to streamline operations and reduce manual labor, which also contributes to long-term savings.
Benefits of automated sanitation processes:
- Consistent and precise cleaning
- Time savings for farm workers
- Reduced human error
Randy Tapia, Manager- Sales (Dairy Sanitation) for MWI's Micro Technologies, explains, "Our sanitation system automates the entire wash system. This means employees no longer need to manually handle chemicals, saving time and reducing errors." However, there should still be a human in the loop, monitoring for issues that occur during the wash.
Automated systems also ensure consistent and precise cleaning, which is vital for maintaining high standards of hygiene without wasting resources. This not only leads to a more sustainable operation but also frees up valuable time for employees to focus on other essential tasks, thereby enhancing overall productivity.
By automating the sanitation process, dairy producers can eliminate the margin of error associated with manual methods. It’s not just about being sustainable with resources; it’s about being more efficient with employees’ time.
The dairy chemical mixer gives customers the ability to mix on-site, creating custom rations based on environmental factors, i.e. freezing temperature or unexpected moisture. These customizations can be switched with just a few pushes of a button, allowing customers to prepare for changes in weather conditions.
In addition, automating the dairy chemical mixer also creates time savings. Technology enables producers to monitor the use of concentrates in the teat dips. Dairies can create reports that detail how many chemicals each work shift uses. Calibrations can be made if there are inconsistencies.
Beyond not wasting water and chemicals, dairy producers are also concerned with not wasting their product. Ensuring that every drop of milk is utilized efficiently can greatly impact both sustainability and profitability. Parlor control systems are designed to address this issue effectively. Chavez explains, "Our parlor control systems account for every bit of milk and use air to push the milk through to the tanks, reducing waste."
Such systems ensure that more milk reaches the processing stage, thereby increasing yield and revenue. This technology not only supports sustainable practices but also boosts confidence in the quality and efficiency of the dairy operation. And ounce for ounce, there is power in that glass of milk, which is cost-effective for its nutrient-density.
Reusing clean water for multiple functions
Water is a precious resource, especially in the dairy industry. Efficient water use is critical for both environmental sustainability and operational cost-effectiveness. Dairy farmers, on average, are reusing water up to four times, says U.S. Dairy. MWI's solutions enable the reuse of clean water for various functions within the dairy operation, whether irrigating crops, chilling milk, or cleaning the barn. Chavez says, “The more we can save them water by anything that we do technology-wise or chemical-wise or whatever that's our goal.”
Today’s dairy producers know the value of water management. Common practices include timers on hoses and installing low-flow nozzles, both of which eliminate the tendency to over-water. Vander Dussesn suggests choosing drought tolerant crops and high-yield dwarf crops that use less water, when possible.
Especially in regions where water scarcity is a concern, such practices are vital for long-term sustainability. Reusing water means each gallon will go further and producers won’t need to purchase additional water rights to maintain their operations. Dairy farmers are supporting larger herds, with bigger product outlays, on the same size parcels of land, and doing so with less water than in decades past. That’s in large part due to being thoughtful about their resources while still maintaining fiscal sustainability.
Vander Dussen urges dairies not to overlook those conversations about financial resources. Profit or environmental sustainability should not be an either/or question but should work in harmony. She encourages people to seek the advice of their fellow dairy producers in terms of which green choices worked for them and why. It’s also important to play the long game when implementing new conservation strategies. The Vander Dussen’s, for example, installed solar panels on their farm, not a small undertaking. Now, their barn is powered by sunlight during the day. Before making this sustainable choice, they estimated how much their utility costs might rise over the next 10-15 years and saw the long-term impact of solar, from both an economic and environmental perspective. Large financial investments, therefore, can start to pay for themselves when looked at over a multi-year perspective.
Shaping the future of dairy sustainability
Big swings may have their time and place, but consistent action is key. “Small changes across a vast majority of dairies is really what got us to where we're at today with these water reductions and carbon reductions,” notes Vander Dussen.
Minimizing resource use in dairy sanitation processes is not just about adopting new technologies; it is about integrating solutions that enhance sustainability and profitability. MWI's Micro Technologies offers advanced sanitation processes that use fewer chemicals, incorporate automation, reduce milk waste, promote clean water reuse, and optimize inventory management. Whatever sustainable solutions your dairy chooses to implement, Vander Dussen reminds us to consider any available loans and grants for “green” projects, from either the government or private non-profits.
Embracing these innovative practices ensures that dairy producers can continue to operate efficiently and sustainably, preserving their legacy for future generations. By partnering with MWI you can take proactive steps towards a more sustainable and profitable dairy operation.
Inventory management for sustainability
Effective inventory management is another crucial aspect of minimizing resource use. Micro Technologies provides inventory management solutions that help dairy producers keep track of their supplies, ensuring they use only what is necessary. Kate Bielfelt, Senior Director - Production Animal Business for MWI Animal Health points out, "Our inventory management software helps dairies manage how much inventory they have on hand, reducing waste from expired products."
Regular deliveries and consolidated orders also contribute to sustainability by reducing packaging waste and transportation emissions. By using these systems, dairy producers can ensure they are not over-ordering and that their resources are managed efficiently.
