A.
Construction Plans.
1. Any person
constructing or extensively altering a parlor or milk room shall submit the
plans and specifications to the Dairy Supervisor for written approval before
work begins. The Dairy Supervisor shall approve or deny the plans within 10
business days.
2. Plans shall
consist of a scaled plot design with elevations and pertinent
dimensions.
3. Any deviations from
the requirements in this Section and from approved plans and specifications may
be made only after written approval of the Dairy Supervisor.
B. Site.
1. The parlor and milk room shall be located
in a place free from contaminated surroundings.
2. Feed racks, calf pens, bull pens, hog
pens, poultry pens, horse stables, horse corrals, and shelter sheds shall not
be closer than 100 feet to the milk room or closer than 50 feet to the
parlor.
C. Surroundings.
1. Dirt or unpaved corrals and unpaved lanes
shall not be closer than 25 feet to the parlor or closer than 50 feet to the
milk room; corrals shall be constructed to remove runoff from the lowest point
of the grade.
2. A paved (concrete
or equivalent) ramp or corral shall be provided to allow the animals to enter
and leave the parlor. This paved area shall be curbed sufficiently high enough
to contain waste material and water used to clean this area.
D. Drains and waste disposal
systems shall be adequate to drain the volume of water used in rinsing and
cleaning, as well as the waste created by animals in the parlor. Instead of
natural drainage, automatic pumps or other means shall be provided for drainage
disposal.
E. Milk room.
1. The milk room shall consist of one or more
rooms for the handling of the milk and the cleaning, sanitization, and storage
of the milk-handling equipment. Hot and cold running water outlets shall be
provided as needed for sanitation . There shall be a minimum of five feet
between a farm milk tank at the widest point and the milk room wall where the
wash vats are installed. Except for currently installed milk tanks, there shall
be at least three feet between any farm tank or farm tank appurtenance and the
milk room walls.
2. Passageway. The
passageway between the milk room and parlor shall have at least a 3-foot
clearance for ingress and egress . Equipment such as milk receivers, dump
tanks, or coolers that are part of an enclosed milk line system may be
installed in the passageway if:
a. A 3-foot
clearance is allowed for the walkway;
b. Space is provided between walls and
equipment to permit the disassembly of equipment for cleaning or
inspection;
c. The passageway
between the parlor and the milk room may be closed at one end. The parlor may
be separated from the passageway by a pipe rail fence if the slope of the
parlor floor is away from the passageway. If the slope of the parlor floor is
toward the passageway, a concrete wall between the passageway and parlor floor
of at least 12 inches in height shall be provided.
d. Rustless pipe sleeves with tight-fitting
flanges and protective closures shall be installed where the milk lines, hoses
for tankers, and wash lines go through the walls of the passageway.
3. Floors.
a. The floors of the milk room, and
passageway, if provided, shall be constructed of four-inch thick concrete, or
other impervious material troweled smooth. The milk room floor shall slope at
least 1/4 inch per 12 inches to a vented trapped drain. The passageway floor
shall slope at least one inch per 10 feet toward a drain or gutter. All floor
and wall junctions shall have at least a two-inch radius cove.
b. Drainage from the milk room may be
independent from or connected to the parlor drainage. Floor drains shall be
vented, have a water trap, and a clean-out plug. All floor drains and pipes
under the milk room and parlor floor shall meet all applicable plumbing
codes.
4. Walls and
ceilings.
a. All walls and ceilings shall be
constructed of a light colored, impervious material with a smooth finish. If
concrete block or masonry construction is used, all voids below the floor line
shall be filled with concrete.
b.
The main ceiling height shall allow sufficient room for access to, and sampling
from, the bulk milk storage tank.
5. Doors and windows.
a. All opening windows shall have at least
16-inch mesh screen.
b. Exterior
doors of the milk room shall open outward, be solid, self-closing, and tight
fitting. Any door from the passageway shall be a solid door, metal covered on
both sides of the bottom half. Wooden door jambs or frames shall terminate six
inches above the floor, and the concrete floor cove shall extend to the jambs
or frames.
c. All working areas in
the milk room shall contain at least 30 foot-candles of natural and/or
artificial lighting.
6.
Ventilation. The milk room shall provide adequate ventilation to minimize
condensation on ceilings, walls and equipment. Vents shall be protected from
the penetration of insects, dust and other contaminants. The milk room shall
contain one or more ceiling vents. . Ceiling vents shall not be installed
directly above bulk milk storage tanks.
7. Tanker loading area. A tanker-loading
area, at least 10 feet by 12 feet, paved, curbed, and sloped to drain, shall be
provided adjacent to the milk room where milk is transferred from a farm tank
to a milk tanker. If a tanker is used instead of a farm tank, a tanker shelter
shall be provided that complies with the construction, light, drainage, and
general maintenance requirements of the milk room.
8. Farm tank installations. All farm tanks
for the cooling and storing of milk shall be installed in the milk room. Bulk
milk tanks equipped with agitator shaft opening seals may, if approved by the
Dairy Supervisor, be bulk-headed through a wall.
F. Parlor.
1. Floors.
a. The floors shall be constructed of
four-inch thick concrete or other, light-colored, impervious material, finished
smooth. The floors, alleys, gutters, mangers, and curbs shall slope lengthwise
toward a drain or gutter. The cow standing platform in the elevated stall
parlor shall slope sufficiently to provide for adequate drainage and cleaning.
b. Floor and wall junctions shall
have at least a two-inch radius cove and shall be an integral part of the
floor.
c. The cow standing
platform, litter alley, holding corral and concrete lane shall be treated to
prevent slipping.
2.
Walls. All walls shall be constructed of a light-colored, impervious material.
If necessary, means shall be provided to prevent the entrance of swine, fowl
and other prohibited animals. . All walls shall be finished smooth on the
inside with the top ledge rounded on open walls. If a parlor wall forms a part
of the holding corral or an entrance or exit lane, it shall be finished smooth
on the outside. If a concrete block or masonry construction is used, all voids
below the floor line shall be filled with concrete. In elevated stall parlors,
the wall under the cow standing platform adjacent to the milking area shall be
finished smooth and designed to prevent leakage.
3.
Plate line. The plate line in the floor level parlor
shall be at least 7 feet 3 inches above the floor. In elevated stall parlors,
the plate line shall be at least 6 feet 6 inches above the cow standing
platform.
4.
Superstructure. The exposed superstructure of the
parlor or ceiling shall be constructed of smooth material. The roof sheathing
in an exposed superstructure shall be applied directly to the
rafters.
5.3. Stalls.
The cow standing platform and floor level parlors
shall be at least three feet wide for each cow and shall be at least four feet
10 inches and not more than six feet from the stanchion line to the gutter,
depending on the size of the cattle and the design of the manger. If stanchions
are not used, the cow standing platform shall be at least 7 feet in length. The
cow stall in a tandem elevated stall shall be eight feet in length. A
tandem stall and a herringbone stall shall have a smooth, flat, non-absorbent
splash panel behind each cow.
6.4. Light. Natural and/or
artificial light shall be at least 30 foot-candles at the floor level and
located to minimize shadows in the milking area.
7. Alleys.
a.
The litter alley, exclusive of gutter, shall be at
least 4 feet 9 inches wide behind a single string of cows. In a 2-string
head-out parlor, the litter alley shall be at least eight feet wide between
gutters.
b.
In a floor level parlor, the feed alley in single
and 2-single head-out types, shall be at least 5 feet 9 inches wide between
stanchion line and wall. In 2-string head-in parlors, there shall be at least
10 feet between stanchions.
c.
The milking alley in the 2-string tandem elevated
stall parlor shall be at least eight feet wide but may be reduced to five feet
at the narrowest point if automatic feeders are installed and used. The width
of the milking alley in the 2-string herringbone parlor may be reduced to five
feet at the narrowest point.
d.
In the single-string elevated parlor, the milking
alley shall be at least eight feet wide.
8.5. Gutters.
a. All parlors shall have gutters to catch
the defecation of cows while in the stall and for any water used for rinsing.
b.
Gutters in the floor level parlor may be either
trench or step-off. The gutter shall be at least 14 inches wide and two inches
deep at the cow standing platform. The gutter floor shall slope down away from
the cow standing platform 1/2 inch across its width. The gutter shall have a
uniform depth for its entire length.
c.
The gutters in an elevated stall parlor shall be
grate-covered in the stall and trenched along the outside wall. The stall
gutter shall be located to catch defecation of cows in the stall. The stall
gutter shall be at least 500 square inches in area and at least 20 inches wide
and four inches deep. A herringbone parlor may have the stall gutter width
reduced to 14 inches provided a 500 square inch area containing the animal is
maintained. The wall gutter shall be at least eight inches wide and three
inches deep and the bottom may be rounded. A trench gutter may be eliminated in
an exit alley if the alley is curbed and sloped to drain.
d.b.
Pipe used for parlor gutter drainage shall be at least four
inches in diameter and meet applicable plumbing codes.
9.6.
Curbs.
a. In elevated stall parlors, the cow
standing platform shall be curbed on the side next to the milking alley and the
curb shall be at least six inches in height with the top rounded to retain the
elevated stall floor washings. This curb may be lowered to not less than two
inches at the area where the milking machines are applied. Metal curbs shall be
free of voids and sealed to stall and floor or wall.
b. Floor level parlors shall contain a curb
under the stanchion line at least six inches wide, 12 inches high from the
stall floor, except if metal mangers are used the top of this curb shall be
rounded.
107. Stanchions.
a. The stanchion shall be metal or other
impervious, easily cleanable material.
b.
In floor level parlors, the manger shall
have:
i. A width of at least 27 inches
with a back wall at least 12 inches above the floor;
ii. Rounded
corners;
iii. The low point of the manger
at least eight inches out from the stanchion line and three inches above the
floor; and
iv. A lengthwise slope of at
least 1 1/2 inches per 10 feet toward a drain or gutter.
c.
b. Mangers and feed boxes in all types of parlors shall be
constructed of impervious materials, finished smooth, and provided with
drainage outlets at low points.
11.8. Ventilation.
a. Adequate ventilation
shall be provided in the parlor, holding corral, and wash area, if
roofed.
b.
Continuous open 18-inch ridge vents that rise at
least six inches above the roof area are permitted. Any ridge vent continuing
over the feed room shall be tightly screened.
c.
If a stack vent is used, single string parlors shall
have a 12-inch diameter opening, and multi-string parlors shall have a 14-inch
diameter opening with not more than 10 feet between vent and wall, and vent and
vent.
d.
A flat ceiling shall have at least two vents, two
feet by two feet or equivalent, shafted to a roof peak vent with not less than
a 12-inch opening. The ceiling vents may be located directly over the cow
standing platform or the milking pit. The vents shall be located not more than
10 feet between vent and wall, and vent and vent.
12. The lower half of the parlor
doors shall be covered on both sides with corrosion-resistant
metal.
G.
Roof drainage from parlors and milk rooms shall not drain into a corral unless
the corral is paved and properly drained.
H. If animals are fed in the parlor, feed
storage facilities shall be provided. Feed storage rooms, when installed, shall
be partitioned from the parlor and shall be fly and rodent proof. The feed
discharge area of the bulk feed storage shall be concrete or other impervious
material that is curbed and drained. Bulk feed may discharge directly into the
parlor. A bulk feed tank located opposite the passageway shall be at least six
feet from the milk room. Overhead feed storage is permissible if it is fly,
rodent, and dust tight. Feed shall be conveyed to the manger or feed box in a
tightly closed dust-free system. Overhead metal feed tanks may be
used.
I. Facilities to store dairy
supplies shall be provided. Only supplies that come in contact with the milk or
milk contact surface of the milk-handling equipment may be stored in the milk
room and shall be protected from toxic materials, vectors, and dust.
