SURVEY ON VETERINARY DRUG-USE AND RESIDUES IN MILK IN HYDERABAD

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.