LACTOCOCCUS SPP., YEASTS AND PSEUDOMONAS SPP. ON TEATS AND UDDERS OF MILKING COWS AS POTENTIAL SOURCES OF MILK CONTAMINATION

Thirty-nine samples of refrigerated raw milk were collected on site fr om 20 dairy farms. Thirty per cent of teats and udders were cotton swa bbed in each herd. The presence of Lactococcus spp., yeasts and Pseudo monas spp. was evaluated. The level of contamination of samples varied greatly from one farm to another. Average Lactococcus spp. counts wer e 3.4 x 10(2) cfu mL(-1) in milk, 2.6 x 10(3) cfu per total area on te ats and 7.7 x 10(2) per 25 cm(2) on udders. Average yeasts counts were of 6.9 x 10, 4.8 x 10(2) and 3.0 x 10(2) for milk, teats and udders, respectively, while average Pseudomonas spp. counts were of 5.8 x 10(2 ), 2.1 x 10(4) and 6.2 x 10(3). Variations in the level of Lactococcus spp. and yeasts in milk were not linked with their levels on teats an d udders. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.