BULLETIN 973, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
RECEIVING MILK AT THE PLANT. 
The milk as received from producers, directly or through country 
cooling plants, is usually brought to the plant in trucks, either from 
the railroad station or directly from the country. These trucks are 
unloaded at the receiving platform;. the milk is graded and dumped, 
and the cans are washed and returned to the trucks, so that they can 
go back to the producer to be filled again with milk. 
All milk should be received at the plant in the morning, if possible. 
It is usually desirable to have it all in before noon, so as to avoid 
hauling during the heat of the day, and so that the work of receiving 
at the plant may be completed in good season each day. 
Fig. 1. — Portion of receiving room, showing scales of overhead-lever type, weigh can, conveyer on 
which cans are conveyed to wash room, and fan to blow flies away from the milk. 
The milk-plant manager is responsible for the quality of the milk 
put out at the plant, and he must therefore direct that the milk is 
properly cared for at the farm where it is produced. One of the most 
important points in this connection is that of keeping the milk cool. 
Producers should be instructed to use ice early in the spring to cool 
the milk. Usually more sour milk is received at the plant in the 
spring and fall than during the summer, because producers fail to 
realize the importance of cooling at these times, and do not begin 
to use ice early enough nor continue its use late enough. 
The manager can help to have the milk arrive at the plant in good 
condition by having it brought to the plant immediately on arrival at 
the railroad station, and when it reaches the plant it should be sent 
immediately to the pasteurizer or kept in a cool place until it is 
pasteurized. No milk should be allowed to remain in a warm 
receiving room. 
