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This study identified the association of management practices and herd characteristics with milk quality of bulk tanks in southeastern, Brazil. Milk samples were collected weekly during 8 weeks from 63 dairy herds. Bulk tanks were evaluated for total bacteria (TBC), preliminary incubation (PIC), pasteurization (PC), coliform (CC), and somatic cell counts (SCC). Associations found were type of milking system utilized in the farm with TBC, PIC, and SCC; the use of gloves for milking with TBC and PIC; sanitation of milking equipment prior to milking with PC and CC; strip cup testing of cows with PC; teat washing prior to milking with SCC; pre-milking teat disinfection with TBC and CC; post-dipping with TBC and SCC; and the alkaline-acid washing procedure of milking equipment with PIC and PC. The regression analysis explained the variation of bulk tank PC (− 0.47 log cfu/mL) due to the adoption of strip cup test (P = 0.036) and, by 0.366 log cfu/mL due to alkaline and acid washing of milking equipment (P = 0.036). Herringbone milking systems adopted on farms represented a change of − 0.11 log cfu/mL on the log SCC (P = 0.048). Findings may provide a guideline to prioritize efforts aimed at improving milk quality at the farm level in Brazil.

The objective of this study was to evaluate herd management practices and mastitis treatment procedures as risk factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus antimicrobial resistance. For this study, 13 herds were selected to participate in the study to evaluate the association between their management practices and mastitis treatment procedures and in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility. A total of 1069 composite milk samples were collected aseptically from the selected cows in four different periods over two years. The samples were used for microbiological culturing of S. aureus isolates and evaluation of their antimicrobial susceptibility. A total of 756 samples (70.7%) were culture-positive, and S. aureus comprised 27.77% (n=210) of the isolates. The S. aureus isolates were tested using the disk-diffusion susceptibility assay with the following antimicrobials: ampicillin 10mg; clindamycin 2μg; penicillin 1mg; ceftiofur 30μg; gentamicin 10mg; sulfa-trimethoprim 25μg; enrofloxacin 5μg; sulfonamide 300μg; tetracycline 30μg; oxacillin 1mg; cephalothin 30μg and erythromycin 5μg. The variables that were significantly associated with S. aureus resistance were as follows: the treatment of clinical mastitis for ampicillin (OR=2.18), dry cow treatment for enrofloxacin (OR=2.11) and not sending milk samples for microbiological culture and susceptibility tests, for ampicillin (OR=2.57) and penicillin (OR=4.69). In conclusion, the identification of risk factors for S. aureus resistance against various mastitis antimicrobials is an important information that may help in practical recommendations for prudent use of antimicrobial in milk production.

O objetivo geral deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da mastite subclínica sobre a composição e a qualidade higiênica do leite de tanque de rebanhos leiteiros. Especificamente, objetivou-se avaliar o efeito da contagem de células somáticas (CCS) do leite cru de rebanhos leiteiros sobre as concentrações de gordura, proteína, sólidos totais e extrato seco desengordurado e sobre a contagem bacteriana total (CBT), contagem de psicrotróficos (CP) e contagem de coliformes (CC) do leite cru. Foram selecionados 230 rebanhos leiteiros localizados no Sul de Minas Gerais e Oeste de São Paulo, com base na média geométrica da CCS de cinco análises do mês anterior ao início das coletas. Estes rebanhos foram classificados de acordo com a CCS em três grupos: baixa (< 250.000 células/mL), média (> 250.000 e < 750.000 células/mL) e alta CCS (> 750.000 células/mL). Após a seleção dos rebanhos, amostras de leite de tanque foram coletadas quinzenalmente, por um período de três meses, totalizando 1380 amostras, que foram submetidas às análises de composição, CBT, CP e CC. Foi observado menor CBT e CC nos rebanhos com menor CCS, no entanto, rebanhos de média e alta CCS apresentaram maiores teores de gordura, proteína e sólidos totais. Foi observada média correlação entre CBT e CP (r = 0,6215) e entre CP e CC (r = 0,3692). Entre os indicadores de higiene e a composição do leite foram observadas correlações baixas e negativas entre CBT e gordura (r = -0,0585), CP e gordura (r = -0,0688) e CP e ST (r = - 0,0662). Os rebanhos com CCS < 250.000 células/mL apresentam maior qualidade higiênica do leite de tanque, no entanto, quanto à composição, rebanhos com maior CCS apresentaram maiores teores de gordura e proteína. The general objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of subclinical mastitis on composition and hygienic quality in bulk tank milk of dairy herds. The specific objectives were to evaluated the effect of somatic cell count (SCC) of raw milk on contents of fat, protein, total solids and nonfat dry milk and on total bacterial count (TBC), psychrotrophic count (PC) and total coliform count (CC). A total of 230 dairy farms located in South of Minas Gerais and West of São Paulo were selected, based on SCC geometric mean obtained from five monthly analysis preceding the beginning of the study. These dairy farms were classified in three groups according to SCC: low (< 250,000 cells/mL), medium (> 250,001 and < 750,000 cells/mL) and high SCC (> 750,001 cells/mL). After herd selection, bulk milk samples were collected fortnightly during three months totalizing 1380 samples, which were subjected to analysis of composition, TBC, PC and CC. A decrease of TBC and CC was observed in herds with low SCC, however, herds with medium and high SCC had increase on - fat, crude protein and total solids contents. A medium correlation was observed among TBC and PC (r = 0.6215), and also among PC and CC (r = 0.3692). Based on hygiene indicators and the milk composition, it was observed a low and negative correlation among TBC and fat (r = -0.0585), PC and fat (r = -0.0688) and PC and total solids (r = -0.0662). Dairy herds with low SCC had higher hygienic quality of bulk tank milk, however, considering the composition, herds with higher SCC showed higher milk fat and protein concentration.