A preliminary study of the bacteriological evaluation of raw milk from Kogi State University dairy farm

Abstract

Milk is a food that inherently favours microbial growth and due to its characteristics, several precautions must be taken to prevent contamination in its production, processing and consumption, which are routinely subject to changes. Raw milk is a complex mixture which is highly nutritious, contain high level of water (85%) and a pH close to neutral which makes it highly perishable and a suitable medium for the growth and multiplication of microorganisms. This study was carried out to evaluate the bacteria associated with raw milk from a dairy farm. A total of seven (7) raw milk samples were -gotten from different lactating cows. The samples were examined for pH, organoleptic property, and turbidity. Isolation of bacteria was done using the pour plate method, gram staining and various biochemical test were conducted to identify the organisms. The pH value of the samples ranged from 6.5 to 6.9. The total bacterial count ranged from 4.3x106 to 9.0x104 CFU/ml, and total coliform count ranges from 5.1x106 to 4.0x104 the bacteria isolated were Bacillus spp Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp and Streptococcus spp. The high bacteria count obtained in this study is an indication of poor sanitary condition and this calls for strict hygienic measure during handling of raw milk and its products.