Effects of post-milking teat dipping changing on bulk tank milk bacterial status

BACKGROUND: Contagious and environmental bacteria are current causes of mastitis and Bulk Tank Bacteria Count (BTBC). Beside other hygienic procedures related to controlling mastitis, Post-Milking Teat Dipping (PMTD) with a suitable teat antisepsis has a special place and can play an important role in the kind of herd mastitis and decreasing the Total Bacteria Count (TBC). OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to evaluate the efficiency of short-time changing of PMTD solution on count and kind of milk tank bacteria. METHODS: This study was conducted in 2 large dairy farms that their current antisepsis was iodophor components in 4 periods around Tehran during March to August 2010. In each 4 periods after the last time that iodophor was used, milk transfer tank sample was collected and 3 tests include Bulk Tank Somatic Cell Count (BTSCC), milk quality tests and bacterial isolation were performed. Then, antisepsis was replaced with chlore components for at least 2 weeks. At the end, another milk tank sample was obtained and tests were done again. RESULTS: Sectional changing of iodophor with chlore components in all 4 periods, according to decreasing in TBC, Coliform count, preliminary incubation count, laboratory pasteurized count, Staphylococcus count and Streptococcus count caused increasing the quality of milk and decreasing the mastitis. CONCLUSIONS: Changing in post-milking teat dipping has positive effect on quality of raw milk.