Consistent analysis of key parameters such as fat, protein, casein and many more is the foundation on which the quality of raw milk can be continuously improved. Just one example is the way that advanced milk analysis pioneered by FOSS allows casein to be analysed more accurately as part of normal routine milk testing. This allows you to give farmers information on individual cows allowing them to manage breeding and feeding for optimal casein content.
Farmers can gain improved payment levels and the dairy can adjust the casein to fat ratio of the cheese milk to get the most out of the milk supply. As a general rule, one additional kilogram of casein in the milk supply means three to four kilograms more cheese.
Consistent analytical performance also minimises the cost of instrument maintenance and calibration while ensuring high operational efficiency in the laboratory.
The consistency of analysis starts with highly stable and accurate analysers and extends to all aspects of instrument maintenance and calibration.
Instruments are standardised to measure the same from instrument to instrument and over time. Design features such as self-cleaning pipettes make it easy to measure even the most difficult samples quickly and efficiently.
Complementing the well-proven instrumentation, networking and operational software makes instrument management straightforward. For instance, automatic sample tracing avoids handling errors and preventive maintenance of the instruments according to our recommendations keeps instruments performing optimally.
Completing the picture, FOSS analysers are delivered with calibrations based on the unique and comprehensive FOSS database built up over decades of activity in the raw milk testing area. A very robust calibration can be developed to cover many dimensions in the measurement such as race, feeding, season and region. This reduces the number of calibrations required to meeting demands for different tests. When handling updates to calibrations, the fact that instruments are standardised offers a great advantage. A calibration developed on one instrument may be transferred to other instruments, which due to the standardisation will provide identical readings.
Networking software for calibration management
Testing raw milk with infrared instruments requires data collection from both reference analysis and the sample types involved to build calibrations that reflect natural variations in samples, for example due to seasonal variation in feed for dairy cows.
The connectivity features of FOSS solutions and supporting networking software make it simple and cost effective to manage analytical operations. For instance, an update to a calibration can be installed on a master instrument and then shared across all instruments in different locations at the click of a mouse button. Such an approach also allows a specialist to monitor and manage remote instruments while operators do not need any specific knowledge and training and can simply run their samples.