Farm Milk Research Articles

Molecular detection and antibiogram of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) from raw milk in and around Bahir Dar town dairy farms, Ethiopia

Illnesses associated with consuming infected milk and milk products are a widespread problem in low and middle-income countries. Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a bacterium commonly found in raw milk and causes foodborne diseases ranging from mild diarrhea to severe hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the virulence gene and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains isolated from raw milk in dairy farms in and around Bahir Dar town. Raw milk samples (n = 128) collected from December 2021 to July 2022 were cultured, and E. coli strains were isolated using standard methods. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains were identified genotypically by the presence of the virulence markers using a single-plex polymerase chain reaction. The antibiotic susceptibility testing of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli isolates was done by the agar disk diffusion method. In total, 32 E. coli isolates were recovered from milk samples from lactating animals. PCR screening of these isolates resulted in 19 (59.3%) positives for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. The stx2 gene was detected in 53% of cases, followed by stx1 (31%) and eae (16%. The STEC isolates were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin (94.7%) and kanamycin (89.5%), while exhibiting significant resistance to amoxicillin (89.5%) and streptomycin (73.7%). The present study points out the occurrence of virulent and antibiotic-resistant Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains in raw milk that could pose a potential risk to public health. Further analysis by whole genome sequencing is necessary for an in-depth assessment and understanding of their virulence and resistance factors. Moreover, large-scale studies are needed to identify the prevalence and potential risk factors and to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant STEC strains in the milk production chain.

Isolation and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus from raw cow's milk in dairy farms of Wolaita Sodo Town, Southwest, Ethiopia.

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogenic bacterium-contaminating milk and milk products causing food poisoning primarily due to its enterotoxins. A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2021 to June 2022 in Wolaita Sodo Town, to detect Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in raw cow's milk and assess their resistance levels to different antimicrobials. Purposive sampling was used to select 34 dairy farms. Accordingly, 419 raw milk samples from the farm and collection centers were collected. Isolates of S. aureus showing resistance to Cefoxitin were classified as MRSA. From the total 419 samples, 22.19% (93/419) were contaminated with S. aureus in dairy cows. The prevalence of S. aureus in raw milk, bulk milk from the farm, and bulk tank milk from the collection centers was 16.9%, 2.1%, and 3.1%, respectively. The risk of S. aureus contamination in dairy farm owners and milkers who do not take food safety training was 5.303 times higher than the risk of S. aureus contamination in dairy farm owners and milkers who take food safety training. The risk of S. aureus contamination in dairy farms kept under poor management system was 7.34 times more than that of dairy farms kept under good management. The cefoxitin disk diffusion method was used to detect MRSA, 57.14% being resistant to Cefoxitin in total while approximately 87.5% were sensitive to Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and Gentamycin, while Erythromycin registered 75%, Ciprofloxacin 62.5%, Chloramphenicol 62.5%, and Tetracycline 25%. This study revealed that MRSA exhibited a notable multidrug resistance pattern, encompassing resistance to multiple drugs, with a prevalence of 75%. Significantly, the hands of milkers and the milking containers emerged as pivotal sources of contamination. This underscores the crucial importance of maintaining stringent hygienic practices during the milking process, with particular emphasis on thorough cleaning and decontamination of utensils.

Milking Cows Less Often Might Benefit Farmers (And Possibly Cheese)

Most dairy farms milk cows twice-a-day, but interest in once-a-day milking systems is increasing. This article discusses the background and benefits that are leading some farms to consider a change to a reduced milking frequency. Also, until recently, only limited work had been done to explore how dairy products are impacted by milking frequency. Some recent investigations completed at UCC and Teagasc on cheese now provides some reassuring evidence. Going further still, this research also suggests that reducing milking frequency might offer some unique opportunities for cheese production in the future.

Occurrence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Bovine Bulk Milk and Farm Workers in Smallholder Dairy Farming Systems in Northwestern Ethiopia.

Staphylococcus aureus is a common pathogen responsible for causing various human and animal infections and is well known for its ability to develop resistance to multiple antibiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in bulk milk and dairy farms in northwestern Ethiopia and to determine their phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. We collected 50 bulk milk samples from 50 dairy farms and 50 hand swabs from dairy milkers. The cefoxitin disk diffusion test and PCR-based assays were used to identify MRSA isolates. In addition, cefoxitin-resistant isolates were tested for susceptibility to other antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. The results showed that MRSA was detected in 8 samples: 6 from bulk milk samples (12%) and 2 from hand swabs (4%). All MRSA isolates exhibited a high resistance rate to penicillin (100%), followed by tetracycline (75%), ciprofloxacin (25%), chloramphenicol (25%), erythromycin (25%), gentamycin (12.5%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (12.5%). Moreover, 72% of the isolates showed resistance to three or more antibiotic classes and were classified as multidrug-resistant. This study identified methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant MRSA in bulk milk and dairy farms in northwestern Ethiopia. These findings highlight the potential risk of transmission of these antibiotic-resistant bacteria to humans and the need for improved antibiotic stewardship in the dairy sector using the One Health approach.

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Relationship between Reproductive Performance and the Presence of Antibodies against Coxiellosis in Dairy Farm Milk Tanks in the Northwest of Spain

Q fever is a zoonotic disease that has been associated with reproductive problems in animals. As there is little epidemiological data regarding the distribution and risk factors of this disorder in cattle, the objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii among dairy herds in the northwest of Spain, and to determine the on-farm risk factors associated with the disease and its effects on reproductive performance. Bulk tank milk (BTM) samples were collected from 262 commercial dairy herds from A Coruña, Lugo, and Pontevedra provinces. Data about location, mean age, and herd management features were obtained. A commercial indirect ELISA kit was used to determine the presence of antibodies against C. burnetii in BTM samples. The relationship between seropositivity to C. burnetii and the risk factors was checked using a Pearson’s χ2 test and a classification tree analysis. In addition, a one-way ANOVA test and the Mann–Whitney U test were used to check the impact of seropositivity to C. burnetii on reproductive performance. A total of 60.1% of the farms tested positive for coxiellosis, the herd size, the external purchase of livestock, and the geographical area were identified as the main risk factors. Conception rate and first-service conception rate were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in positive farms (37.1 and 32.9%) compared to negative farms (39.8 and 36.1%). Similarly, positive farms had significant higher incidence of endometritis (13.7% vs. 11.2%, p < 0.05). Consequently, a high seropositivity and slightly negative effects of coxiellosis on reproductive performance were observed, which intensifies the need for further research, including the identification an active infection in positive herds and the characterization of the genotype.

Productivity and milk quality of Saanen and Anglo- Nubian breeds of goats under the conditions of the Lower Volga region

Prospects for the development of dairy goat farming and goat milk production in many countries of the world, including Russia, are directly related to the dietary and healing properties of the product. An urgent problem is the comparative assessment of the adaptive and productive traits of dairy goats of imported selection under various ecological and climatic conditions of Russia, including the conditions of the sharp continental climate of the Lower Volga region. The purpose of the work was to give a comparative assessment of the eff ectiveness of breeding lactating goats of Saanen and AngloNubian breeds of imported selection under the conditions of the sharp continental climate of the Lower Volga region. The object of research was imported dairy goats. Two groups of female goats of Saanen and Anglo-Nubian breeds of the fi rst lactation of 10 heads in each were formed, taking into account their live weight, age of insemination and origin. The duration of the scientific and farm experiment was 210 days.Consistently high milk yield was found in goats of Saanen breed compared with the milk yield of their herdmates of Anglo-Nubian breed. The signifi cant diff erence in milk yield in favor of Saanen goats by months ranged from 13,24 to 16,51 % (p < 0,05). In general, during lactation the superiority of Saanen goats over their Anglo-Nubian herdmates in terms of milk yield was 61,2 kg or 15,75 %. A comparative analysis of quality indicators revealed a significant superiority of milk from goats of Anglo-Nubian breed such as in the mass fraction of fat by 1,48 abs.% (p < 0,05), in the mass fraction of protein by 0,24 abs.% (p < 0,05), in terms of milk fat yield by 3,15 kg (p < 0,05). It was found as a result that in the production of milk from goats of Anglo-Nubian breed, the level of profitability of milk with basic fat content (3,5 %) was higher by 27,78 abs.% compared with herdmates of Saanen breed.

Tracking the microbial communities from the farm to the processing facility of a washed-rind cheese operation.

Milk residue and the accompanying biofilm accumulation in milking systems can compromise the microbial quality of milk and the downstream processes of cheese production. Over a six-month study, the microbial ecosystems of milk (n = 24), tap water (n = 24) and environmental swabs (n = 384) were cultured by plating decimal dilutions to obtain viable counts of total aerobic mesophilic lactose-utilizing bacteria (lactose-M17), lactic acid bacteria (MRS), yeasts and molds (Yeast, Glucose, Chloramphenicol (YGC) medium). Viable aerobic lactose-M17 plate counts of milk remained well below 4.7 log CFU/ml over five of the months, except for 1 week in November where milk at the facility exceeded 5 log CFU/ml. Swab samples of the farm milking equipment showed consistent viable counts after sanitation, while the bulk tank swabs contained the lowest counts. Viable counts from swabs of the facility were generally below the detection limit in the majority of samples with occasional residual contamination on some food contact surfaces. Extracted DNA was amplified using primers targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, and the amplicons were sequenced by MiSeq to determine the shared microbiota between the farm and the processing facility (8 genera). Culture independent analysis of bacterial taxa in milk, water and residual contamination after sanitation with swab samples revealed the shared and distinct microbiota between the sample types of both facilities. Amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the microbiota of milk samples had lower diversity than water or environmental swabs (279 ASVs compared to 3,444 in water and 8,747 in environmental swabs). Brevibacterium and Yaniella (both Actinomycetota) were observed in all sampling types. Further studies will include whole genome sequencing of Brevibacterium spp. isolates to determine their functionality and diversity within the system.

АНАЛИЗ ЭКСПЛУАТАЦИОННЫХ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИК ПРИБОРОВ УЧЕТА МОЛОКА

The foreign and domestic individual milk yield accounting devices analysis is carried out. The dairy industry development’s main directions for production rate’s and milk quality increasing are given. The development of these areas is impossible without for milk collecting, accounting and primary processing. Milk accounting on modern domestic and foreign farms can be both group and individual. At group accounting, milk from cows enters into a cooling tanker, and then, through a metering device, into the tanks of vehicles for transportation for enterprises and plants processing. This is a simple and convenient method using only one milk meter, however, by this accounting method, the milking process control impossible. The individual milk yield counters’ using is important for particular cow milk yield predicting for cow health preserving due to milking cups’ absence overexposing. Also, individual milk accounting allows to separate mastitis infected milk from the healthy cows’ milk, that allows to reject only part of farmer milk producing, and not the entire batch, as it would be in the case with group accounting. A brief description of the types of sensors for individual and group milk metering from foreign and domestic producers is presented. An advantages and disadvantages of the considered milk metering devices comparative assessment is given. It is concluded that there is a necessity developing for a system that will meet the following requirements: the ability with a milk-and-air mixture working; device’s high autonomy; construction’s simplicity; high accuracy. Based on the analysis of milk meter designs, it can be argued that the most design promising should be based on the capacitive principle, when the milk-and-air mixture flow will change the electrical capacitance

Comparative study of the ELISA use with milk and blood serum for bovine brucellosis diagnosis

Enzyme immunoassay, being a more sensitive method, makes it possible to identify specific antibodies in samples of combined milk. The ELISA study of harvested milk in farms can become an important element in the system of anti-brucellosis measures regarding the control of the epizootic state in farms taking into account the availability and ease of implementation of this method. For screening express-diagnostics of bovine brucellosis the method of enzyme immunoassay with milk of cows has been developed. ELISA with milk serum is specific, sensitive, easy to formulate, account for and interpret the results. It has been found that the conditions of storage and transportation of milk samples corresponding to room temperature values and leading to fermentation do not affect the level of specific anti-viral immunoglobulins for eight days, and the question of the use of a cold chain during transportation of milk samples to be examined to the place of analysis can be withdrawn from the agenda. When working out the optimal sample preparation, the difference in the specific signal when setting the ELISA between the milk serum obtained by high-speed centrifugation and the milk serum obtained by fermentation for 24 hours was less than 10%. Therefore, high-speed centrifugation was chosen for the preparation of milk serum samples during the ELISA study. The possibilities of using ELISA with milk serum on vaccinated and non-vaccinated cattle against brucellosis have been studied. Milk and blood for testing in the ELISA should be taken 6 months or more after vaccination (within the instructional time frame). A high level of correlation was established between ELISA data with milk and ELISA data with blood serum, regardless of epizootic or immune status (satisfactory and unfavorable herds, vaccinated and unvaccinated animals), which amounted to 86.8–92.0%.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Mastitis among Dairy Buffaloes from the Departments of Antioquia and Córdoba, Colombia

Background: Mastitis is the most common disease among dairy buffaloes worldwide, and it significantly affects the economic profitability of buffalo farms as well as animal welfare and public health.
 Methods: This study was conducted between 2018 and 2019 at the Colombian departments of Antioquia and Córdoba, where 41% of the country’s total buffalo population is concentrated. Overall, 1,018 dairy buffaloes, including 603 in Antioquia and 415 in Córdoba, distributed among 11 farms, were assessed in the study. These animals were evaluated using the California mastitis test (CMT) and somatic cell count (SCC) to determine the presence of subclinical mastitis (SM). They were considered positive for SM when the results of CMT were higher than traces and SCC was >200,000 cells/mL.
 Results: The total prevalence of the disease was 7.9%, and microbiological culture was performed on the samples obtained from the SM-positive animals. The main isolated bacterium was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. Furthermore, risk factors affecting milking routine, hygiene, and farm facilities were determined. Manual milking, milking in the barn, non-disinfection of milkers' hands, etc., were identified as risk factors for the disease.
 Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first large-scale study of mastitis among buffaloes in Colombia.

A single dose of oral calcium bolus supplementation immediately postpartum improves milk yield and concentration of blood calcium in early-lactation Primiparous Holstein cows

The goal of the experiment was to determine the appropriate time of calcium bolus (CB) administration on performance and health of primiparous fresh cows. Two - hundred fourteen primiparous cows were randomly assigned to one of four treatments immediately after calving: 1) control group without receiving CB (CON); 2) CB immediately after calving (BL0); 3) CB 24 h after calving (BL24); 4) two CBs immediately and 24 h after calving (BL0,24). Milk production and milk composition were recorded monthly (based on scheduled farm milking recording) and there were six records for each cow. Serum total calcium (tCa) concentrations was determined at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 168 h after calving. The prevalence of diseases and reproductive performance were recorded for 210 DIM. Total calcium concentration was significantly lower in total period in BL24 treatment (P < 0.01). Also serum total calcium concentration in BL0 and BL0,24 groups increased significantly at 24 h after calving (P = 0.03), but was lower for BL24 cows after 72 h of calving (P < 0.01) compared with CON and BL0 treatments. Serum ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration in control group tended to be greater (P = 0.06) at 7 DIM compared to all treatments. Average milk yields were not different among treatment groups but treatment by time interaction was significant (P = 0.03), thereby in the first milk record BL0 and BL0,24 cows had greater milk production (P = 0.03) and tended to produce more at third record (P = 0.09). Treatments had no effect on milk compositions, reproductive performance and diseases incidence. Only, the days to the first artificial insemination tended to be reduced for BL24 cows compared with others (P = 0.08) and pregnancy at second artificial inseminations tended to be less for control compared with CB supplemented cows (P = 0.09). The subclinical hypocalcemia incidence at 24 h after calving was lower in BL0 treatment (P = 0.03). Based on the results of this study, supplementing at least one CB immediately after calving in primiparous cows could increase the blood calcium concentration and cause them to peak earlier.

The effects of dietary iodine content, milking system, and farming practices on milk iodine concentration and quality traits

Various management practices can influence milk quality traits in dairy cattle. As an example, an increasing investment in automatic milking system to substitute milking parlors has been observed in the last 2 decades in dairy farms which could have affected certain bulk milk quality traits. What is more, milking practices can also affect certain milk parameters; as an example, teat disinfectants containing I are used in commercial farms where pre- or postdipping is performed, leading to presence of some I in the bulk milk. However, this trace mineral is also supplied in cows' diet to fulfill their nutritional requirements, partly contributing to the milk I final concentration. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the sources of variation of milk I along with other traditional milk quality traits. A total of 91 dairy farms in northeastern Italy were enrolled in the study. In each farm, diet and bulk milk samples were collected on the same day for chemical analysis. Concentration of I, in particular, was determined in both milk and feed with gold standard. Pearson correlations were calculated among the traits available for milk and diet, and a general linear model was used to test significance of fixed effects (feeding system, milking system, farming system, herd size, herd stage of lactation, and sampling month) on milk quality traits including the I concentration. In the case of milk I, diet I and presence of I-based predipping and postdipping teat disinfect application were also tested as fixed effects. Results showed a positive linear correlation between milk and diet I content (correlation coefficient [r] = 0.78). Although milk I was also positively correlated with lactose content (r = 0.25), dietary I was not correlated with other milk traits. Milk I content was significantly affected by dietary I, I-based predipping teat disinfectant application, and herd composition. Compared with conventional farms, organic farms showed lower protein content and greater somatic cell score (SCS) but similar milk I. Milking system significantly affected only lactose content and SCS of milk. Sampling month was only significant for milk urea nitrogen and herd composition, feeding system, herd size, and herd average days in milk did not modify milk gross composition and SCS. In conclusion, dietary supply of I is the main factor affecting milk I concentration and findings suggest that I level in milk can be naturally improved in dairy cows by modulating the I content in the diet administered. However, further research is needed to evaluate the effect of I-based sanitizers on milk I.

Impact Assessment of Livestock Production on Water Scarcity in a Watershed in Southern Brazil

This study presents the assessment of water scarcity associated with livestock production in a watershed in Southern Brazil where 115 farms (poultry, pig, and milk) are located. The methods, AWARE—available water remaining, and BWSI—blue water scarcity index, were applied monthly for the year 2018, and the characterization factors (CF) were regionalized into five scenarios evaluated by varying water availability and environmental water requirements. Livestock water consumption accounted for 94.1% of the total water consumed. Low water scarcity was observed in all scenarios (BWSI &lt; 0). The highest CFAWARE was observed in scenario 3, ranging from 2.15 to 9.70 m3 world eq.m3, with higher water scarcity in summer. In the same scenario, pig production presented the highest annual average water scarcity footprint (WSF) of 90.3 m3 world eq./t carcass weight. Among milk production systems, pasture-based systems presented the highest annual average WSF of 52.7 m3 world eq./t fat protein corrected milk, surpassing semi-confined and confined systems by 12.4% and 3.5%, respectively. In scenario 3, poultry production presented an annual average WSF of 49.3 m3 world eq./t carcass weight. This study contributes knowledge to the livestock sector to perform the assessment of water scarcity.

Assessment of environmental performance on farms using FADN: a case study of the Region of Mazowsze and Podlasie

Agri-environmental Schemes are the main agricultural policy instrument currently available in the European Union to help improve the relationship between agriculture and the environment. The conducted research included the assessment of AES (Agri-environmental Schemes) implementation in the Region of Mazowsze and Podlasie, Poland. This Region is characterized by worse natural, organizational, and production conditions than in other Regions in Poland. Out of the 292 analyzed farms, 146 formed the research sample, while another 146 constituted the control sample. In 2010 and 2014, all analyzed farms kept entries in accounting books under FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network). All farms were classified according to TF8 as fieldcrops, milk, and mixed. For each type of farm, a research and control sample were distinguished. The research sample included farms that participated in the AES, whereas the control sample comprised farms that did not join the program. For each farm from the research sample, the most similar farm was selected in the control group, taking into account its type and location. The conducted study confirmed that the implementation of the AES has a positive effect on the environment, as it results in lower use of synthetic fertilizers, crop protection products, and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions per ha. However, the research showed that the costs of reduction of GHG emissions are very high. In 2014, the cost of a decrease of 1 Mg CO2 eq amounted to 1,302 PLN on fieldcrop farms, 611 PLN on milk farms, and 1,112 PLN on mixed farms. This is important information for policy makers, as it indicates that, while planning subsequent pro-environmental programs, it is crucial to perform a cost-benefit analysis and an ex ante assessment of the costs of planned activities in relation to the expected environmental effects.

KREATIVITAS SENI MEMBATIK MENGGUNAKAN MOTIF BAWA PADA JURUSAN KRIYA KREATIF BATIK DAN TEKSTIL DI SMKN 3 KOTA BIMA

Indonesia is a nation rich in cultural and artistic treasures, consisting of several islands, tribes that are very famous around the world by having a diversity of culture and artistic creativity, namely traditional clothes and fabrics typical of their respective regions, one of which is batik. The type of research that will be used is a type of research that is qualitative descriptive "This research aims to find out the process of creativity of the art of batik using the motif of bringing in students of class XII of the Department of Textiles Smkn 3 Bima and knowing the quality of the results of the work. The results of research on student batik works are relatively very good, from their own motives using local motifs that can attract the attention of the local community, because onions are the largest income of milky milk farmers. And the discussion about the process of student creativity using bawa motifs combined with uma lengge motifs or bima traditional houses in one cloth with batik writing techniques. The conclusion that the process of working on the art of batik using the motive of carrying out is to carry out learning activities, where students are required to have creative ideas and follow the stages that support the success of the work. The advice is for a new generation of batik makers, presumably make batik works as a reference and have creative ideas, cultural insights and traditions in batik work.

A novel determination method of milk somatic cell count based on dielectric relaxation parameters

Rapid and accurate raw milk somatic cell count (SCC) monitoring is vital to identify cow mastitis and dairy quality evaluation. This study aimed to explore the influence mechanism of milk SCC on dielectric spectra and the potential of dielectric relaxation parameter (DRP) to predict milk SCC. The dielectric spectra of 272 raw milk samples with different SCC at 20–4500 MHz were measured, and the effects of milk SCC on the DRPs were analyzed. The models based on full spectra (FS), characteristic variables extraction, and DRPs methods were established to predict milk SCC. The results showed that the Cole-Cole plots exhibited apparent differences between sample groups with different SCC. The DRPs-NNuSVR model had the best prediction performance, with the standard error of prediction of 0.166 log SCC/mL and residual predictive deviation of 2.538, better than the FS and characteristic variables extraction models. This study explores the influence of milk SCC on dielectric relaxation and proposes a novel milk SCC prediction method, which helps in dairy farming and raw milk quality assessment.

Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Desa Gadingkulon Dau Kabupaten Malang melalui Pelatihan Pembuatan Kefir untuk Meningkatkan Nilai Ekonomis Susu Sapi

Gadingkulon Village, Dau District, Malang Regency, is one of the villages producing cow's milk, which is quite productive. To increase the economic value of cow's milk, one way of processing it is to make it into kefir. Kefir is a fermented drink made from cow's milk using kefir seeds, which has the benefit of being a probiotic that is needed to maintain body immunity, especially during a pandemic. Training on making cow's milk kefir for a group of cow's milk farmers in Gadingkulon village can provide another alternative for processing cow's milk to produce a halal probiotic product to increase people's immunity during a pandemic while at the same time increasing the selling value of cow's milk which has the potential to increase the income of cow's milk farmers. This empowerment activity was carried out using the observation and training method with the target of PKK women in Gadingkulon Village. The information results stated that the activity participants needed to become more familiar with the terms and benefits of kefir as a probiotic drink, which helps increase body immunity. The results of the community empowerment showed that the participants could understand and practice how to make cow's milk kefir, pack it aseptically, and form a kefir community in the Gadingkulon village.

Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci isolated from bovine milk in Italian dairy farms: a retrospective investigation

Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM) are associated with bovine mastitis and increased milk somatic cell count (SCC) but their relationships with mammary gland health at the species level are not clearly defined. Regional differences have also been reported in their specific prevalence. The implementation of MALDI-TOF MS in milk microbiology is generating large and dependable datasets with the potential of providing useful epidemiological information. We present the retrospective analysis of 17,213 milk samples sent to our laboratory in 2021–2022, including 13,146 quarter samples from cows with subclinical (SCM) or clinical mastitis (CM) from 104 farms, and 4,067 composite herd survey (HS) samples from 21 farms. NASM were isolated from 21.12% of SCM, 11.49% of CM, and 15.59% of HS milk samples. The three most frequently identified NASM in SCM milk were Staphylococcus chromogenes (33.33%), S. haemolyticus (26.07%), and S. epidermidis (10.65%); together with S. microti and S. hyicus, these species were significantly more prevalent in quarters with SCM (p < 0.05). The three most frequently identified NASM in CM milk were S. chromogenes (31.69%), S. haemolyticus (21.42%), and Mammaliicoccus sciuri (18.38%), although no significant associations were found between these NASM species and CM. The three most frequently identified NASM in HS milk were S. chromogenes (44.49%), S. epidermidis (17.84%), and S. haemolyticus (17.23%), with S. chromogenes being isolated in all the farms sending HS milk (100%). In conclusion, this retrospective study provides the first information on the NASM species isolated from cow milk in Italy, expanding our knowledge on the epidemiology of NASM at the species level and providing further insights into their relationships with mammary gland health in modern dairy farms.

&lt;i&gt;Staphylococcus aureus&lt;/i&gt; isolates from cow’s milk in dairy farms at Shinshicho town, Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia: Prevalence, risk factors, and antimicrobial susceptibility profile

Bovine mastitis is an economically important and highly prevalent infectious disease in dairy herds worldwide. Staphylococcus aureus is a common microorganism causing infectious mastitis. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2018 and September 2019 in Shinshicho town, Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia, to estimate the prevalence, and assess associated risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility profile of S. aureus isolates from cow’s milk in dairy farms at Shinshicho town. Lactating dairy cows were screened for mastitis based on clinical examinations and the California mastitis test (CMT) followed by laboratory identification of S. aureus. All the S. aureus isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests using a disk diffusion test. Multivariable logistic regression analysis of the effect of different risk factors on the prevalence of mastitis was performed. From a total of 384 lactating cows examined and tested, 41.7 % ( n=160) were found positive for mastitis. Out of the occurrences of mastitis, 5% (n=19) and 36.7% (n=141) were clinical and subclinical respectively. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from 36.84% (n=7) and 39.01% (n=55) of the clinical and subclinical mastitis respectively with a total isolation frequency of 38.75 % (n=62). According to the results of this study, greater herd sizes (OR=2.91, 95% CI: 1.62-5.21), higher parity cows (OR=3.91, 95% CI: 1.73-8.82), late lactation stage (OR=3.36, 95% CI: 1.27-8.91), and muddy floor (OR=2.37, 95% CL: 1.31-4.27) are risk variables linked to the occurrence of S. aureus mastitis. In addition, S. aureus has total resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin-G, and Polymyxin. Similarly, 53.2% of the isolates proved resistant to three or more of the antibiotics used. Therefore, regular antimicrobial susceptibility testing should be performed to select potent modified antibiotics, and the effects and dynamics of genetic determinants of antibiotics should also be studied using molecular methods.

Antibiofilm potential of luteolin against multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from dairy goats and farm environments

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a prominent pathogen responsible for mastitis in dairy goats, and capable of contaminating farm environments. Luteolin is a naturally derived flavonoid found in many plant types. To our best of knowledge, this study involved the initial investigation into the prevalence of S. aureus and screened the multidrug-resistant (MDR) S. aureus from raw milk samples and farm environments. Furthermore, we explored the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of luteolin against MDR S. aureus. Antibiofilm activity was evaluated via crystal violet staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Bacterial morphology and biofilm microstructure were observed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the antibiofilm mechanisms were further explored based on extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production, extracellular DNA (eDNA) content, and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). In total, 28 and 43 S. aureus isolates were isolated from raw milk and environmental samples, respectively. Raw milk samples had the highest prevalence of S. aureus (58.33%), followed by sewage sludge (35.42%), soil (27.78%), excrement (19.44%), bulk tank (12.50%), milking parlor (11.11%), and feed (7.50%). Among the isolated strains, 40 isolates (56.34%) expressed the MDR phenotype. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of luteolin against MDR S. aureus were 8–32 μg/mL and 16–64 μg/mL, respectively. Compared to that in the untreated control isolate, the number of dead cells increased, while the auto-aggregation and cell surface hydrophobicity decreased. Moreover, the cell membrane dissolved with the increase in luteolin concentration. Luteolin down-regulated the transcription of seven biofilm related genes: icaA, icaD, icab, hld, hla, agrA and RNAIII. These results indicated that S. aureus coexisted in raw milk and goat farm environments, and also suggested the potential of luteolin as a promising antibiofilm agent against MDR S. aureus.