As global dairy standards increase, more and more dairy companies are adopting smart metering technology to increase the accurate control of additives, cleaning solutions, and nutrients during milk processing.
A mid-sized dairy in Wisconsin, United States, producing more than 5,000 tons of milk annually, recently completed an equipment upgrade, incorporating electric diaphragm metering pumps into its daily milk processing for the first time. This technological upgrade focused on three main areas: accurate dosing of milk additives, increased efficiency of the CIP cleaning system, and uniform injection of nutrients during feeding.
James Hollister, Hill's owner, said: "The introduction of metering pumps has completely transformed our production methods, which previously relied on manual expertise. Now, whether it's stabilizers, vitamin solutions or cleaning acids and alkalis, the flow and frequency of dosing can be accurately controlled by an automatic system, significantly improving the control and consistency of production."
According to the company's technical director, the new electromagnetically controlled metering pump system, linked to a PLC control board, automatically adjusts dosing ratios according to changes in the formula, with an error of ±0.5%. The system also provides automatic alarms, data logging, and remote monitoring, significantly improving operational safety and data traceability.
In addition to the accurate dosing of feed additives during milk processing, metering pumps are also widely used in CIP (cleaning in place) systems. Automatic injection of alkalis and acids ensures efficient sterilization and thorough cleaning of the internal tubes of the equipment, effectively preventing cross-contamination. In the dairy industry, the cleanliness of the equipment is directly linked to product safety, and the high-precision dosing capabilities of metering belts are essential to ensure the quality of cleaning. Dairy farms also use metering belt systems to supplement liquid feed. Electrolytes, trace elements, or medications are accurately added to drinking water or liquid feed, ensuring consistent doses for each cow. This method is safer, less labor-intensive, and reduces feed loss compared to traditional manual dosing.
Dairy engineering experts say that the widespread use of intelligent metering belts means that dairy farms are entering a new era of "automation and precision." As the technological level of milk processing improves, the stability of product quality, compliance with regulations, and economic benefits will also increase. According to data released by the International Dairy Federation (IDFA) at the beginning of 2025, more than 40% of medium and large dairy farms have automated dosing and measuring systems for key processing steps, and this proportion is expected to increase to more than 65% within the next three years.
"The dairy of the future will not only be a dairy farm, but also a highly informative production workshop with intelligent equipment," said an industry expert. "Although the dosing pump is small, it reflects the importance of the entire dairy industry in quality control and the direction of technological improvements."
