Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Research Article
Adv. Anim. Vet. Sci. 1 (3): 80 - 83
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Nameirakpam Dinki1, Endale Balcha2*
1Assam Agricultural University, College of Veterinary Science, Guwahati-22, India, 2Mekelle University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mekelle, Ethiopia P.O.Box: 2084
*Corresponding author: endalebalcha@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
An investigation was carried out from September 2010 to January 2011 to detect antibiotic residues and assess microbial load of milk samples of cattle collected from six different consumers’ collection centres of Guwahati city, India viz. Maligaon, Hatigaon, Panbazar, Noonmati, Khanapara and Jalukbari. A total of 120 milk samples were aseptically collected from randomly selected milk cans. Antibiotic residues were found in 28 samples with 23.3 % detection rate. The mean standard plate count of raw milk of Maligaon, Hatigaon, Panbazar, Noonmati, Khanapara and Jalukbari were recorded as 6.38 ± 0.02, 6.31 ± 0.02, 6.33 ± 0.02, 6.34 ± 0.03, 6.32 ± 0.02 and 6.29 ± 0.02 log10 cfu per ml, respectively. Whereas the mean coliform count of raw milk of the six centres were recorded as 2.28 ± 0.05, 2.85 ± 0.03, 2.92 ± 0.01, 2.90 ± 0.03, 2.89 ± 0.03 and 2.90 ± 0.03 log10 cfu per ml, respectively. The results of the current study indicate that the milk produced and distributed in the study area can be considered as of fair quality from microbial load point of view. Since the presence of antibiotic residues could pose human health risk, awareness should be created on the judicious use of antibiotic and adherence to drug withdrawal period.

Key Words: Raw milk, Antibiotic residue, Standard plate count, Coliform, microbiological quality, Guwahati, India.