Microbiological contamination and somatic cell count of bovine milk stripped before and after udder preparation for milking

Abstract

The aim of the trial was to determine the level of contamination of forestripped milk by microorganisms (total bacterial count, coliforms, psychrotrophs). Two different manners of forestripping were tested in the same udders of twenty cows. The udders were randomly divided into two groups of halves corresponding to the right/left positions. In the first group of halves forestripping was done prior to udder preparation for milking while in the second half forestripping was done after udder preparation had finished. The effect of forestripping on somatic cell counts (SCC) was also evaluated using another population of ten cows. During each proceeding of forestripping two samples of milk (10 ml) were collected. In the first group the first sample was collected before preparation of udder and the second one immediately after preparation. In the second group the first as well as the second sample was collected immediately after preparation of udder. In the first group we have recorded a significant decrease in the values of all measured parameters from the first to the second sample. However, we could not find any difference between the first and the second samples in the second group of udder halves. There were also significantly higher values of parameters in the first samples of the first group and the first samples of the second group in comparison to their respective second samples. In conclusion, we could demonstrate the higher microbiological contamination and SCC in milk samples stripped before the preparation of udder to milking. The forestripping application before udder preparation contributes to the quality of milk.