scope:

This 3-A Sanitary Standard applies to the sanitary aspects of the unitized equipment for an automated milking installation (AMI) inclusive of the equipment applied to a hooved mammal to extract milk and continues to all components as used in the automated milking installation exclusive of the container or tank or vessel in which the milk is cooled and stored and from which the milk is removed from the dairy farm. The unitized equipment shall begin with the teat preparation and ends at the highest point between the sanitary trap and the receiver, and milk outlet of the valve assembly used to separate the milking system lines for normal milk, abnormal milk, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions from the downstream milk line(s).

The equipment components of the AMI may consist of:

(1) Teat cup liner

(2) Manifold

(3) Milk hoses

(4) Collection cup

(5) Pre-milk collection chambers

(6) Milk flow sensors milk meter shut-off valves

(7) Milk quality sensors

(8) Receiver unit

(9) Disc-type valves

(10) Dump receiver

(11) Flapper valves

(12) Milk pump

(13) Check valves

(14) Air purge valves

(15) Block and bleed valves

(16) Divert valves

(17) Piping

(18) Mixproof valves

(19) Automatic milk sampling devices

(20) Milk sampling agitator

This standard does not include water supply, service piping lines and connections.

When a water reservoir is contained within the AMI system and is in contact with recirculated solutions, this standard applies to the reservoir and all components after the water inlet and water inlet connections.

This standard does not include the milking barn, house, stable or parlor criteria of construction as required for Grade "A" Milk per the PMO or the components of the AMI that are not a part of the milking system. These include but are not limited to:

A. rails and gates required for the animal to enter, depart, or retain the animal in the milking position

B. feeding systems for the animal

C. animal waste collection and removal from stall area

D. teat preparation protocols

E. materials and systems for cleaning sensors

To conform to this 3-A Sanitary Standard, equipment shall conform to the following criteria for design, materials of construction, fabrication techniques and installation, as appropriate, and the current revisions or editions of all referenced documents cited herein.