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Herd characteristics and management practices associated with bulk tank milk quality of dairy herds in southeastern Brazil

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Abstract

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.

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Funding

This study was supported by São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), Brazil (grant no. 2009/16700-6). First author was granted a scholarship (grant no. 2009/16687-0) from FAPESP during the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, Pirassununga, São Paulo, 13635-900, Brazil

    Cristina Simões Cortinhas, Susana Nori de Macedo & Marcos Veiga dos Santos

  2. Livestock Systems Research Department, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland

    Bruno Garcia Botaro

Authors
  1. Cristina Simões Cortinhas
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  2. Bruno Garcia Botaro
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  3. Susana Nori de Macedo
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  4. Marcos Veiga dos Santos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcos Veiga dos Santos.

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This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Cortinhas, C.S., Botaro, B.G., de Macedo, S.N. et al. Herd characteristics and management practices associated with bulk tank milk quality of dairy herds in southeastern Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod 50, 1605–1610 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-1601-z

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