Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
ATCP 55-89 - Food, Lodging, and Recreation Safety
Chapter ATCP 65 - Milk And Milk Products
Subchapter II - Dairy Farms
Section ATCP 65.06 - Milking barn or parlor

Universal Citation: WI Admin Code ยง ATCP 65.06

Current through August 26, 2024

All milking operations on a dairy farm shall be conducted in a milking barn or parlor, which shall be constructed and maintained in compliance with the following requirements:

(1) FLOORS AND GUTTERS; CONSTRUCTION. Except as authorized by the division in writing, floors, gutters, and gutter covers in milking barns and parlors shall comply with all of the following requirements:

(a) They shall be constructed of concrete or other materials that are equally impervious and cleanable.

(b) They shall be constructed and maintained so they can be kept clean.

(c) They shall be sloped to drain sufficiently to prevent pooling of liquids and shall be free of excessive breaks or worn areas that may allow pooling of liquid wastes. Floors and gutters constructed after July 1, 1989, shall have a slope of at least one inch per 10 feet.

(2) MANURE HANDLING SYSTEMS. Gravity flow manure handling systems and liquid manure storage under milking barns shall comply with applicable standards contained in PMO Appendix C, "Dairy Farm Construction Standards and Milk Production."

Note: Copies of the PMO, including Appendix C, are on file with the division and the legislative reference bureau. Copies are available online at www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/milk.

(3) WALLS AND CEILINGS; CONSTRUCTION. Walls and ceilings in milking barns and parlors shall be constructed and maintained so that they can be kept clean. Walls and ceilings shall be painted, whitewashed or otherwise finished so that they are light colored and easy to clean. Ceilings shall be constructed and maintained to prevent dust and chaff from entering the milking barn or parlor from above. The wall finish and wall cleaning requirements under this subsection do not apply to seasonal milking parlors constructed without walls.

(4) LIGHTING. Natural or artificial lighting, or both, shall be provided in milking barns and parlors to ensure illumination that allows evaluation of teat and milking equipment cleanliness for daytime and nighttime milking operations. Except where additional lighting is required for milking parlors under sub. (10), there shall be at least 10 foot-candles of illumination in all working areas where milking operations are being performed.

(5) VENTILATION. Ventilation in milking barns and parlors shall be adequate to prevent visible condensation on walls and ceilings, and to prevent excessive odors.

(6) ANIMALS EXCLUDED. No swine, fowl, or non-milking livestock may be housed in, or allowed to enter a milking barn or parlor. Milking areas shall be kept free of excrement from non-milking livestock.

(7) MAINTENANCE AND CLEANLINESS; GENERAL. The interior of every milking barn or parlor, and all areas used in connection with milking operations, shall be kept clean and in a good state of repair. Floors, gutters, walls, ceilings, animal confinement facilities, pipelines, and equipment shall be kept free of accumulated litter and filth. Bedding material shall be clean and dry. Milk stools, surcingles, and anti-kickers shall be kept clean, and shall be stored above the floor when not in use. Manure shall be removed from milking barns daily, and after every milking in a milking parlor.

(8) FEED STORAGE AND HANDLING. Dust-tight covered containers or separate storage facilities shall be used to store ground, chopped, or concentrated feed. Feed may be stored in the milking portion of the barn only in a manner that does not increase the dust content of the air, attract flies, or interfere with the cleaning of the floor. Open feed dollies or carts may be used for distributing feed, but not for storing feed in the milking barn.

(9) OVERCROWDING PROHIBITED. Areas used for milking operations shall not be overcrowded.

Note: Evidence of overcrowded conditions may include inadequate ventilation, excessive odors, livestock in walks or feed alleys, or non-milking livestock tied between milking animals in a milking line.

(10) MILKING PARLOR; ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

(a) Cleaning and storage of C-I-P milking equipment. C-I-P milking equipment may be cleaned, sanitized, and stored in a milking parlor if all of the following conditions are met:
1. There are at least 30 foot-candles of illumination in all areas of the milking parlor where C-I-P milking equipment is cleaned, sanitized, or stored.

2. Doorways to and from the milking parlor are provided with tight-fitting solid doors that are kept closed when the doorways are not in use.

3. Openings to the milking parlor are protected against entry by insects, rodents and other pests.

4. No animals are housed in the milking parlor at any time.

5. Liquid wastes from milking parlor operations are drained and removed in a sanitary manner, so that there are no liquid waste accumulations in the milking parlor.

6. C-I-P milking equipment, if cleaned, sanitized, or stored in the milking parlor, is designed, installed, handled, and stored so that milk contact surfaces are protected from contamination at all times. Cleaning, handling, and storage shall comply with applicable requirements under s. ATCP 65.14.

(b) Manual cleaning of milk contact surfaces prohibited in milking parlor. If manual cleaning of milk contact surfaces is necessary, the milk contact surfaces shall be manually cleaned in the milkhouse. Milk contact surfaces may not be manually cleaned in a milking parlor.

(c) Pre-milking stalls; hot water supply. If milking animals are hosed clean in a milking parlor pre-milking stall before milking, rather than being manually cleaned at the milking stanchions, hot water under pressure shall be supplied to the pre-milking stall and used for cleaning purposes. There shall be an adequate supply of hot water so that all milking animals processed through the pre-milking stall can be fully cleaned without depleting the availability of hot water for other milking parlor or milkhouse operations.

(11) DRUG STORAGE. No drug or medicinal item, or drug administering device such as a bolus wand or syringe, may be kept in a milkhouse unless it is intended or prescribed for use on dairy animals. If drugs or medicinal items are kept in a milkhouse, they shall be stored in an enclosed cabinet, separate from all other articles stored in the milkhouse. Drugs and medicinal items shall be clearly labeled to indicate their identity and intended use, and prescription drugs shall be labeled as provided under s. ATCP 65.20(5). Drugs and medicinal items intended solely for treatment of non-lactating milking animals shall be kept separate from those used for treatment of lactating milking animals.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Wisconsin may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.