DefinePK

Abstract

ABSTRACT


Studies on cow146s milk have already underlined some relationships between management practices and the microbial quality of milk, but only a few have been carried out on goat146s milk. The aim of this study was 1 to determine the main bacterial species present in goat146s milk and 2 to identify management practices that may have a potential influence on the bacterial species in the milk. The bacterial species present in samples of raw goat146s milk from 30 farms in different regions were characterized by PCR-Temporal Temperature Gradient gel Electrophoresis TTGE and PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis DGGE. The predominant bacterial species belonged to the genera Staphylococcus, Arthrobacter and Serratia. Lactic acid bacteria Lactococcus lactis and Enterococcus faecalis were only detected in 25 of the milk samples. Brevibacterium linens were detected systematically in milk from zero-grazing herds. High standards of hygiene with regard to milking machine cleaning considerably reduced the number of dominant species in the milk lactic acid bacteria, in particular were no longer detected. On the other hand, inferior hygiene increased the number of species present and E. faecalis was more commonly found. Herd health management was a determining factor in the microbial contamination of the milk samples studied. Inferior health conditions increased contamination of the milk with Serratia and Staphylococcus. Direct contact between the milking parlour and the goats146 housing appeared to enrich the milk in L. lactis. Present results underlined that it may be possible to influence the balance between the bacteria present in milk using certain practices.

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