West Virginia Code of State Rules › Agency 61 - Agriculture › Title 61 - LEGISLATIVE RULE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › Series 61-04A - Production Of Milk And Cream For Manufacturing Purposes › Section 61-4A-7 - Abnormal Milk

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 28, July 12, 2024
7.1. Milk which
				is found to be abnormal by sight or odor shall not be offered for sale or sold
				for manufacturing purposes. Milk, from animals, which shows evidence of the
				secretion of abnormal milk in one or more quarters, based on bacteriological,
				chemical, or physical examination and milk which has been treated with or from
				animals which have consumed chemical, medicinal, or radioactive agents which
				may be capable of being secreted in the milk and may be deleterious to health
				in the Commissioner's opinion, shall be milked last or with separate equipment
				and such milk shall not be offered for sale or sold for manufacturing purposes.
				Equipment, utensils and containers used to handle abnormal milk shall be
				cleaned and sanitized before being used for milk to be sold. Such equipment
				shall meet the construction requirements set forth in the Rule. Milk from
				animals treated with or exposed to pesticides not approved for use on dairy
				animals by the U.S. Environmental Protection agency shall not be offered for
				sale until such milk has been tested and found acceptable by the
				Commissioner.
7.2. Acceptable
				Detection Tests. The Wisconsin Mastitis Test (WMT) or the California Mastitis
				Test (CMT) may be used as a screening test. A WMT of 19 mm or higher or a CMT
				or weak positive (1+) indicates abnormal milk and requires confirmation.
				Confirmation shall be made by the Direct Microscopic Somatic Cell Count method
				or an electronic counting method approved by the Commissioner. The commissioner
				may periodically approve additional testing methods or make changes in
				screening test results requiring confirmation based upon further
				research.
7.3. Compliance
				requirements. The plant operator and each producer shall follow the procedures
				below as applicable:
7.3.1. The plant operator
				shall cause the milk shipped by each producer to be tested for abnormalities on
				a monthly basis and the results of such examination shall be sent to each
				producer and posted by the producer in his milkhouse. The samples shall be
				examined by an acceptable screening test and when required, re-examined by an
				acceptable confirmatory test. A screening test may be omitted if a producer's
				milk samples are routinely examined by an acceptable confirmatory
				method.
7.3.2. When a confirmatory
				test on a routine sample indicates a somatic cell count above 1,000,000 cells
				per ml, a written notice shall be sent to the producer of such unsatisfactory
				cell count and a recheck sample shall be collected within 21 days but not prior
				to 5 days after said notice has been sent. The recheck samples shall be
				examined by an acceptable confirmatory method.
7.3.3. When two out of the last four routine
				samples have a somatic cell count above 1,000,000 per ml, written notification
				shall be sent to the producer and the producer shall be notified that another
				sample with a somatic cell count above 1,000,000 per ml shall require exclusion
				until an acceptable somatic cell count is obtained. The follow up procedure
				shall be in accordance with the provisions in Section 4 of this Rule, Minimum
				Testing Requirements.
7.3.4. When
				two out of the last four routine samples have a somatic cell count above
				1,000,000 per ml, an additional sample shall be taken within 21 days, but not
				before five days after the notice described in Section 7.3.2 of this Rule above
				has been sent to the producer. If the somatic cell count of this sample exceeds
				1,000,000 per ml the producer shall be excluded until a subsequent sample
				indicates the somatic cell count has been reduced to below 1,000,000 per ml.
				The producer record must show a loss of the production of at least one milking
				during this period before reinstatement.
7.3.5. During the 21 days following
				reinstatement, a total of four samples shall be examined for somatic cell count
				at a rate not to exceed two samples per week. The first such sample shall be
				collected within one week after reinstatement. If the somatic cell count of
				these samples is 1,000,000 or less, the producer shall be returned to routine
				sample collection frequency. After reinstatement, the producer begins a new
				quality control record for abnormal milk. If any of the four samples collected
				during the 21 day period exceeds 1,000,000 cells per ml, follow up action shall
				be repeated, as described in Section 7.3.2 of this Rule and subsequent steps of
				this Rule.