Dairy Hygiene in Uzbekistan: Farm Practices and Product Requirements

Uzbekistan's Dairy Sector

Uzbekistan is Central Asia's most populous country and one of its most active agricultural economies. The country's cattle dairy sector combines a traditional small-farm dairy system — family-kept cows managed in villages and peri-urban areas — with a growing commercial farm segment driven by government investment and private enterprise.

Commercial dairy development in Uzbekistan is concentrated in the Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Ferghana regions, where large farms of 200–5,000 dairy cows are being built with imported equipment (European milking equipment, Israeli and Dutch automation) and imported Holstein genetics.

The Shift to Commercial Milk Production

Uzbekistan's dairy processing industry — companies such as Nestle Uzbekistan, Lactalis, local processors — has grown domestic collection infrastructure and set milk quality standards that create demand for professional farm hygiene practices. Farms supplying major processors are increasingly evaluated on somatic cell count and bacterial count, connecting milk quality to farm hygiene investment.

This shift is significant for dairy hygiene product suppliers. A farm of 500+ cows supplying a commercial processor is a professional buyer, not a subsistence farmer. These operations buy products, follow protocols, and seek technical support from suppliers.

Climate and Hygiene Product Considerations

Uzbekistan has an extreme continental climate. Summers in the Ferghana Valley and Tashkent region exceed 40°C. Winters in highland zones can fall well below freezing.

• Summer: Heat stress is severe. Post-milking teat protection is the most critical hygiene intervention during summer months. Vilnus 5000 Active or the film-forming Vilnus F50 Active provides maximum protection during the high-challenge summer period.
• Winter: Cold-weather teat care matters for farms in northern Uzbekistan. Teat dip emollient content supports teat skin integrity in freezing temperatures.
• Water hardness: Uzbekistan's water supply in many regions is notably hard, with high calcium and magnesium content from the limestone geology. This accelerates milkstone formation and makes frequent acid descaling of milking circuits essential.

Product Selection for Uzbekistan

• Pre-milking: Vilnus LACO or Vilnus LA
• Post-milking: Vilnus 5000 Active for summer; conditioning formulas with emollient support for winter
• Milking circuit: MS CLEAN after every milking; MS CID every 1–2 days given hard water conditions

Contact AgroLyne for product advice and pricing for Uzbekistan.