Abstract
Simple SummaryThe dairy sheep sector in Spain is of great importance in the socioeconomic field. For this reason, obtaining quality milk has become a priority objective in the sector. In this context, the environment of dairy farms could affect the microbial communities present in milk, and therefore, the study of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in this environment could be fundamental for the quality of milk and its dairy products. The objective of this study was to investigate the LAB population present in dairy sheep milk and the possible routes of contamination between the livestock environment and the milk on 12 sheep farms with different livestock practices in Castilla-La Mancha. The results showed that certain agricultural practices favour the presence of LAB in milk in addition to the fact that a significant transference between the livestock environment and bulk tank milk could exist.Milk is a typical and satisfactory medium for the growth of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). These microorganisms are of vital importance in the quality of the milk since they contribute to its preservation and give differential organoleptic properties to the final product. Furthermore, LABs can act as biocontrol agents in the dairy industry by inhibiting the growth of undesirable bacteria present in milk and by improving the quality of dairy products such as cheese. In this context, knowing the transfer routes used by LABs from the livestock environment to the milk is of great importance within the dairy industry. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to expand the knowledge of the LAB population present in the milk of Manchego ewe by means of DNA sequencing techniques and to evaluate the possible transfers of LAB species based on the management of each dairy farm. Samples of bulk tank milk, air (from the milking parlour and from the livestock housing), animal feed and teat surface (taken from 10 sheep per farm) were collected in 12 traditional livestock farms in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain), where each farm presented differences regarding their farming practices. A mixed-effects model was used to evaluate the effects of livestock practices on the distribution of LAB species. Results showed that the vast majority of species identified in the milk had an isolate that was also found in other matrices, which could indicate a microbial transference via the livestock environment to the milk. In addition, the mixed model showed that the factors that positively influence the LAB count were the low-line milking system and the daily use of acid detergent in cleaning the milking machine.
Highlights
The dairy sector in Spain is important, both in the agri-food sector and in the country’s social sphere, contributing to the sustenance and development of the rural population
The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts were higher in animal feed samples, followed by milk and teat surface samples, and the matrices with the lowest counts were those of the air from the milking parlour and from the livestock house (Table 1), which indicated facilities with a slightly contaminated environment
The LAB population and the possible routes used by the LAB species present in livestock environments to reach the bulk tank sheep’s milk have been investigated in relation to the livestock practices carried out in these environments
Summary
The dairy sector in Spain is important, both in the agri-food sector and in the country’s social sphere, contributing to the sustenance and development of the rural population. In this sector, 87.7% of the total milk produced comes from cows, 6.3% comes from sheep and 5.9% comes from goats [1]. Despite the fact that sheep milk represents a low percentage in our country, the contribution of Spain to the total European production of this type of milk is relevant. Spain is the third largest producer of sheep milk in Europe [2], representing 18% of total production. The most recently published data indicates that, in 2018, there were 547,737
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