[Rosemary]

As you may know, if you read our blog posts, we're now milking our three cows. We have a cleaning procedure in place but I'd like to have the milk tested to make sure that the procedures are working and that the milk is clean.

I'd also like to get the BF and protein tested, just for interest. National Milk Laboratories do all these things but the depot is at Hillingdon - so too far to drop off and if we post it the Bactoscan results won't be accurate.

Anyone any suggestions / thoughts?

[SallyintNorth]

What does Christine do?  She's also too far to drive to Hillingdon.

[Rosemary]

What does Christine do?  She's also too far to drive to Hillingdon.

Good question. There are other drop off points nationwide - unless you are north of Stirling  If you are selling to a processor, I presume the bulk tanker driver picks up samples.

[Talana]

You can just post off samples, to nmr, some of us goatkeepers do monthly milk recording, Ayshire goat club only one left in scotland doing milk recording at the moment, we have sample pots with preservative fill with milk and i do extra seal with insulation tape and put in plastic bag and jiffy bag, post to secretary who puts everyones in box and takes to lab think she actually works at the lab in Ayr.
Ask for diy kit posted to you from NMR or maybe worth seeing if ayrshire goat club could add in your cow samples in along with the goats as you have to pay for a box of samples regardless of how many there are. Thats how milk recording clubs work well by sharing out the cost, more that do it the cheaper it is for all. We get butterfat%, protein % and somatic cell count back.

[Talana]

Another option could be local environmental health or sac lab may do it. Nmr seems to have a monopoly on milk testing now a lot of labs the milk recording clubs use to use have now stopped. also local dairy farmer? send with their samples?