How We Work

APDC Farm Operations Standards and Guidelines

APDC will observe good dairy farming practices as described by UNFAO for each key area: animal health, milking hygiene, animal nutrition, environment and socio-economic management.

Flowchart illustrating guiding objectives for good dairy farming practices, emphasizing safe, quality milk from sustainable management practices, with sections on main objective, good practices like animal health, milking hygiene, nutrition, animal welfare, environment, socio-economic management, and their defining characteristics.

  • Animals should be kept according to the following 'five freedoms'*.

    • Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
    • Freedom from discomfort
    • Freedom from pain, injury and disease
    • Freedom from fear
    • Freedom to engage in relatively normal patterns of animal behaviour

    Good Dairy Farming Practice

    • Ensure animals are free from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
    • Ensure animals are free from discomfort
    • Ensure animals are free from pain, injury and disease
    • Ensure animals are free from fear
    • Ensure animals can engage in relatively normal patterns of animal behaviour

    * Adapted from the 'Five Freedoms', Farm Animal Welfare Council, U.K. www.fawc.org.uk.

  • Milk should be harvested and stored under hygienic conditions. Equipment used to harvest and store milk should be suitable and well maintained.

    Good Dairy Farming Practice

    • Ensure milking routines do not injure the animals or introduce contaminants* into milk
    • Ensure milking is carried out under hygienic conditions
    • Ensure milk is handled properly after milking

    * A contaminant is defined as any biological or chemical agent, foreign matter, or other substance, not intentionally added to food, that may compromise food safety or suitability.

  • Animals need to be fed and watered with products of suitable quality and safety.

    Good Dairy Farming Practice

    • Secure feed and water supplies from sustainable sources
    • Ensure animal feed and water are of suitable quantity and quality
    • Control storage conditions of feed
    • Ensure the traceability of feedstuffs brought on to the farm

  • Milk production should be managed in balance with the local environment surrounding the farm.

    Good Dairy Farming Practice

    • Implement an environmentally sustainable farming system
    • Have an appropriate waste management system
    • Ensure dairy farming practices do not have an adverse impact on the local environment

  • Dairy farming provides economic and social benefits to farmers and their wider communities. Good dairy farming practice can also help to manage the social and economic risks to the enterprise.

    Good Dairy Farming Practice

    • Implement effective and responsible management of human resources
    • Ensure farm tasks are carried out safely and competently
    • Manage the enterprise to ensure its financial viability