A survey on veterinary drug use and residues in milk was carried out i
n Hyderabad (India) and surrounding suburban villages. Mastitis was th
e most common disease reported; oxytocin and oxytetracycline were freq
uently used in veterinary formulations. Of 205 milk samples analysed,
9% of market samples and 73% of individual animal milk samples contain
ed oxytetracycline residues. None of the government dairy samples cont
ained oxytetracycline residues. Maximum oxytetracycline consumption th
rough milk was calculated to be 0.045 mg/kg bw/day. The levels ranged
from 0.2 to 1.4 mu g/ml in market milk samples and from 0.2 to 6.7 mu
g/ml in samples obtained from individual buffaloes. It was found that
the oxytetracycline residues affect curd setting, the extent depending
on the amount of residue.