A quick guide to matching milk can capacity, from 5L to 50L, to your herd size, collection route and how you carry milk.
Milk cans come in sizes from 5 litres to 50 litres. Picking the wrong size means half-filled cans (more trips, more handling, more spoilage risk) or cans that are too heavy to lift safely. This guide helps you match capacity to your real situation.
Start with your daily milk volume
Add up the milk you handle in one collection. Leave a little headroom so cans are never filled to the brim, because milk sloshes during transport and a full can spills.
- 5L–10L: households, small farms and 1–4 animals.
- 20L–30L: medium farms and daily village collection.
- 40L–50L: dairy cooperatives and bulk collection routes with vehicles.
Think about how the milk is carried
If cans are carried by hand or on a bicycle, stay at 20L or below. A 50L can weighs around 9.4 kg empty before it is filled, so a full one is a heavy two-person job. For vehicle collection over longer distances, larger cans mean fewer trips.
Check the build, not only the size
- Food-grade stainless steel (SS 304) or food-grade aluminium.
- A lid that seals tightly, or a lockable lid if cans travel on rough roads.
- Smooth welds and a polished interior, which are far easier to clean and keep milk safe.
Browse our full range of milk cans, including the 20 LTR, 40 LTR and 50 LTR stainless steel milk cans.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most popular milk can size?
20L and 40L cans are widely used for daily farm and village collection. The right size depends on your herd and route.
Should I buy one big can or several small ones?
Several smaller cans are easier to lift and let you keep morning and evening milk separate. Larger cans reduce handling on vehicle routes.
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