Milk Hygiene in Commercial Dairy Farms in South Eastern Botswana

Abstract

Fifty raw milk samples were collected from all five commercial dairy farms that operate in South Eastern Botswana on a monthly basis from August to December 1997 to coincide with the raining season when bacterial contamination is more likely to occur due to the increase in the population of flies and other vectors. The farms practiced either maching or hand milking techniques. Laboratory procedures were carried out at the National Veterinary Laboratory (NVL) on somatic cell counts (SCC), milk ring test (MRT), resazurin test (RST), coliform test (CFT) and Escherichia coli tect (ECT). In general, farms where machine-milking was used recorded the highest SCC, CFT and ECT counts than where hand-milking was used. Escherichia coli organisms were detected in all milk samples. The resazurin test was positive in all farms, indicating poor sanitary measures at farm level. The milk ring test was negative in all farms, indicating no Brucellosis in cows.

UNISWA Research Journal of Agriculture, Science and Technology Vol 3 (2) 2000: pp 45-47