Milk Test Results
Cast Iron Farm tests our milk regularly. This allows us to monitor how we are doing at our job. Our test results speak for themselves and let you know that we are doing our job. It leaves a very valuable level of transparency between you the milk drinkers and us the milk producers. You don’t have to take our word for how clean the milk is, you can see the results for yourself.
We test monthly for a Standard Plate Count (SPC) and Coliforms. Here is some info from Udder Health on what these two tests mean.
Total Coliform Count
In addition to serving as an indicator of milk quality and food safety, this laboratory test also conveys information about the cleanliness of the milk harvesting process. Coliforms are gram negative, rod-shaped, lactose-fermenting bacteria. They are commensal (normal) bacteria of the mammalian GI tract. Although coliforms can cause clinical mastitis, if a cow is not currently infected with coliform mastitis, coliforms should not be present in the milk from the udder. Coliforms enter the milk path through fecal contamination during the milking process, either by accidental intake of fecal material through the vacuum on the milking unit, or inadequate cleanliness of the udder or teat. Total coliform count is measured in colony forming units (CFU) per milliliter (ml) of milk.
The milk is plated and incubated for 24 hours before determining the total coliform count.
Standard Plate Count
The standard plate count (also known as a bacterial plate count or aerobic count) is an indication of the level of microorganisms present in bulk tank milk, and is reported as CFU/ml (colony forming units per mililiter). SPC contributing organisms can either come from the udder, from contamination during milking, or anywhere along the milk path.
Here are our test results:
April 2024 520 SPC ~ 1 Coliform
March 2024 900 SPC ~ 3 Coliforms
February 2024 620 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2024 120 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2023 340 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
November 2023 780 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
October 2023 280 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
September 2023 1940 SPC ~ 2 Coliforms
August 2023 1140 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2023 1080 SPC ~ 2 Coliforms
May 2023 1560 SPC ~ <1 Coliform
April 2023: Cow milk 360 SPC ~ <1 Coliforms | Sheep Milk 400 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2023: 460 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
February 2023: 126 ~ 0 Coliforms
Note: Cast Iron Farm took a break from milking cows at this point.
July 2022: 580 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2022: 3300 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2022: 360 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
April 2022: 1800 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2022: 180 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
February 2022: 220 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2022: 120 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2021: 180 SPC ~<1 Coliform
November 2021: 220 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
October 2021: 180 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
September 2021: 140 SPC ~ <1 Coliform
August 2021: 680 SPC ~ 2 Coliforms
July 2021: 940 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2021: 180 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2021: 700 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
April 2021: 600 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2021: 400 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
February 2021: 100 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2021: 140 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2020: 220 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
November 2020: 480 SPC ~ >1 Coliforms
October 2020: 640 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
September 2020: 1200 SPC ~ >1 Coliforms
August 2020: 1240 SPC ~ 5 Coliforms
July 2020: COVID-19 prevented us getting a July sample
June 2020: 1040 SPC ~ 1 Coliform
May 2020: 480 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
April 2020: 2000 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
Note: Cast Iron Farm took a break from milking cows at this point.
February 2019: E200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2019: E60 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2018: E30 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
November 2018: No Test Data
October 2018: E300 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
September 2018: 4500 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
July 2018: 11700 SPC ~ 3 Coliforms
June 2018: E100 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2018: E700 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
April 2018: 600 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2018: 1300 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
February 2018: 131 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2018: 97 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2017: 1400 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
November 2017: 141 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
October 2017: E600SPC ~ 10 Coliforms
September 2017: 6500 SPC ~ 4 Coliforms
August 2017: 3800 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
July 2017: E1200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2017: 25 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2017: 2200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
April 2017: 2700 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2017: 14 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
February 2017: E2000 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2017: E 1100 ~ 2 Coliforms
December 2016: 2900SPC ~0 Coliforms
November 2016: E100SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
October 2016: E1500SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
September 2016: 3600 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
August 2016: 3100 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
July 2016: 3000 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2016: E1200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2016: 1140 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
April 2016: E <100 ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2016: 262 SPC ~0 Coliforms
February 2016: 150 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2016: E200SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2015: <100 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
November 2015: 140 SPC ~ 11 Coliforms
October 2015: 750 SPC ~ 4 Coliforms
September 2015: 2300 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
August 2015: 3300 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
July 2015: 1200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2015: 128 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2015: E 2300 SPC ~ 1 Coliform
April 2015: <100 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2015: 270 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
February 2015: 1730 SPC ~ 2 Coliforms
January 2015: 90 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2014: 1800SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
November 2014: 900 SPC ~ 8 Coliforms
October 2014 : 2oo SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
September 2014: 940 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
August 2014: 9600 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
July 2014: 800 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2014: 200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2014: 1300 SPC ~ 14 Coliforms
April 2014: 250 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2014: <100 SPC ~0 Coliforms
February 2014: 3000SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2014: 3300 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
December 2013: 1200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
November 2013: 930 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
October 2013: 120 SPC ~0 Coliforms
September 2013: 460 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
August 2013: 200SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
July 2013: 680 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
June 2013: 200 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
May 2013: 770 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
April 2013: 1500 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
March 2013: 700 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
February 2013: 300 SPC ~ 0 Coliforms
January 2013: 11,200 SPC ~ 3 Coliforms
December 2012: 8100 SPC ~0 Coliforms