Jl42—UncastT Fanning, Saturday, June 28,1980
New milk test
(Continued from Page Al)
penicillin is found in the milk
it is considered violated—no
matter how low the level, it’s
adulterated milk and can't
be sold.”
When asked what the time
element of the new testing
methods will entail, Fouse
said there is not an ap
preciable difference bet
ween the old method of
testing and the new methods.
“They still take several
hours and can’t be done on
the farm.”
He pointed out the new
‘stearo’ test requires a
different organism, or
medium, along with ad
ditional equipment.
“The new test requires
incubation of the sample
plate at a higher tem
perature. As far as the new
organism needed for the test
goes, we’re concerned the
necessary culture may not
be available in sufficient
quantities by July 1,” Fouse
said. “There are only two
manufacturers of the
medium—Disco and Pen
nicillin Assay, Inc.—and
neither of them are based in
Pennsylvania.”
As a result of the concerns,
Fouse said there have been
several meetings nationally
with the executive board of
interstate milk shippers to
organize a request to FDA
for a deferment in the ef
fective date. He indicated
the request to FDA has been
made.
“Whether or not the July 1
date will be postponed until
more sufficient supplies of
the needed culture are
available, I’m not in a
position to say,” Fouse said.
He added that PDA is
proceeding under the
assumption it will not be
changed. On Tuesday, Fouse
said he met with 50
laboratory personnel from
across the state and
reviewed the testing
procedure, which he said is
not much different than the
old method of testing.
One drawback of the test,
said Fouse, is that the
results are after the fact.
“The universal sample
that is taken at the farm to
test for milk fat, brucellosis,
added water, bacteria, and
antibiotics may not show up
the drug problems until after
the mUk has been mixed
with milk from other farms
in a bulk milk hauler’s
tanker or even worse in a
silo.
“This results in tremen
dous losses, and the farmer
whose sample was in
violation receives a stiff
penalty—suspension. That’s
pretty heavy but doesn’t
compare to die losses when
the whole silo has to be
thrown out. The producer’s
lack of care is greatly
magnified.”
Fouse noted that certain
milk cooperatives have
established their own con
trols, and levy monetary
fines equivalent to the
amount of milk lost. A
similar penalty system has
been suggested to PDA, he
said, but administration
would be difficult.
The Milk Sanitation Chief
said they have people
working on a quick
screening test where the
results would be ready
within 5 minutes, but none
have been reliable to date.
What can a producer do to
avoid problems? According
to Fouse, just being aware of
the more sensitive test will
be a help.
“Producers will have to be
more careful in keepmg
treated cows’ milk out of the
bulk tank.
“If one quarter of a cow’s
udder is being treated for
mastitis, none of her milk
should be offered for sale
Tests show that antibiotics
from the treated quarter get
into the bloodstream and
affect the other quarters.
“We are also concerned
that the warning labels on
alot of antibiotics do not call
for a long enough
withholding time, but this
has not been confirmed.”
If these precautions are
followed, Fouse said he felt
the new test would not create
too many problems for
producers.
Milk haulers are con
cerned that producers on
their routes may not' share
PDA’s concern.
One independent hauler
said that problem herds will
have to be straightened out
and the producers educated
on the proper use of an
tibiotics.
Otherwise, he said, there
may be bold, ups for hours
which will really put the
haulers behind schedule.
“If the farmer’s milk fails
the first test, I understand
there will be a 4 hour in
cubation wait until the more.
sensitive test verifies or
discounts the presence of
antibiotics. Then if the
sample fails, my whole load
has to be dumped out m
some manure pit.”
The hauler added he feels
the problem is m the quality
control of the testing. “The
least variation m methods
can make a heck of a dif
ference in the results.”
In summing up his
feelings, the hauler said a
producer is going to have to
be “ super particular about
anitbiotic usage. Routine
treatments, like infusing
cows to rebreed right away,
will have to be cut out—or
there’ll be a lot of milk
dumped at the farm.”
"The hauler said he felt the
producers would see the
need* to be careful, rather
than lose 3 to 4 days of milk
production from a cow.
Milk Marketing, Inc.
members are already get
ting a taste of the new,
sensitive test. And, ac
cording to a spokesman for
the Co-op, a lot of the
members are “not too happy
with the zero treatment
tolerance.”
He said they are finding
more care is required in
making sure the cows are
getting unmedicated feed,
and that when they buy
animals, they weren’t
pumped full of medication.
He added the withdrawal
time is also proving to be a
problem for many producers
who need to treat cows.
John Althouse, supervisor
of the laboratory at Milk
Marketing, explained the Co
op is running the new test
along with the old test to
work out any transition
problems. He commented
that the new test does find a
few more samples with
Ladies day out reservations
due Tuesday
ALLENTOWN - Region I
PFA Ladies Day Out will be
held Tuesday, July 15. The
event will be hosted by
Lehigh County at the
Holiday Inn West, Allen
town.
The day’s agenda begins
with registration at 9:30 a.m.
and speakers starting at 10
a.m.
Florence Thomas,
National AFBF staff woman
antibiotics that the old test
would have missed.
When asked if he felt this
amount of penicillin that is
detected by the ‘stearo’ test
(detects amounts to .005-.008
percent of a unit) but was
missed by the ‘subtilis’ test
(detects amounts to .05
percent of a unit) was
significant for the consumer,
he said he doesn’t feel the old *
levels were a problem and
that the new test wouldn’t do
anything for the consumer.
GRAIN
DRYERS
New
Call 717-538-2591
will discuss the farm wife’s
role in__pxomoting
agriculture. Nellie
Crawford, state women’s
committee chairperson will
give an overall view of the
year’s activities. A group of
paramedics will give a
discussion of first aid.
Entertainment for the
luncheon will be the Red
Rose Four Barber Shop
Quartet.
problem, especially when all
the states begin to enforce
the FDA regs, because the
spore is hard to get now,”
Althouse said. “I think that’s
going to hold things up.”
Will FDA grant a defer
ment because of the appeals
from government groups
and milk co-ops alike? It
looks like producers,
manufacturers, co-ops,
laboratory personnel, and
government officials will
have to wait until Tuesday to
fmdout.
If sufficient reservations
are received, a'bus will be
run for the Lancaster County
group. Cost for the luncheon
and the bus will be $7.50.
For more information or
for reservations contact
Marian Brenneman 717/653-
2413, Becky Wivell 717/426-
1303, Linda Kreider, 717/284-
2242 or Ruth Newcomer
717/872-2646. Deadline for
reservations is July 1.
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(DamelS Esh C Ralph Miller)
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