Tier 1 Dairy Farms
Conference Year
2023
Abstract
Introduction: Raw milk consumption from homestead dairy operations in Vermont is common, but little is known about pathogen prevalence in this milk Purpose: Our goal was to obtain preliminary data on the prevalence of pathogens within raw milk homesteads and the milking habits of the farmers. Methods: A Qualtrics survey with 34 questions on owner demographics, milking and milk handling habits, and opinion of raw milk consumption was distributed. Survey participants chose whether to participate in milk sampling. On farm, two 25mL samples were collected in Falcon tubes and stored at 4°C before freezing for long-term storage. Samples were thawed at 37°C for 20 minutes. 1 mL of each sample was added to Buffered Peptone Water (BPW), Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth (BLEB), and Rappaport-Vassiliadis (RV) and incubated at 37°C, 30°C, and 42°C, respectively. At 4 hours pre-enrichment, antibiotics were added to BLEB and incubation continued for a total of 48 hours. BPW and RV were incubated for 24 hours. Enriched BPW samples were plated to Eosin-Methylene Blue (EMB), and Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA). Enriched RV samples were plated to XLT4 agar, and enriched BLEB samples to R&F labs Listeria monocytogenes medium (LMCM) . EMB, MSA and XLT4 plates were incubated at 37°C, and LMCM at 30°C. Growth was assessed after 24-48 hours. E. coli positives were also streaked onto R&F laboratories Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157:H7 chromagenic medias. Campylobacter spp. detection was performed with the BAX System PCR Campylobacter spp. assays without enrichment. Results: Six surveys were completed; 5/6 participants agreed to milk sampling. All farms milked goats. Three farms had E. coli in the milk; two did not sanitize the udders before milking, and one did not strain their milk afterwards.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Andrea Etter
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Program/Major
Microbiology
Primary Research Category
Life Sciences
Tier 1 Dairy Farms
Introduction: Raw milk consumption from homestead dairy operations in Vermont is common, but little is known about pathogen prevalence in this milk Purpose: Our goal was to obtain preliminary data on the prevalence of pathogens within raw milk homesteads and the milking habits of the farmers. Methods: A Qualtrics survey with 34 questions on owner demographics, milking and milk handling habits, and opinion of raw milk consumption was distributed. Survey participants chose whether to participate in milk sampling. On farm, two 25mL samples were collected in Falcon tubes and stored at 4°C before freezing for long-term storage. Samples were thawed at 37°C for 20 minutes. 1 mL of each sample was added to Buffered Peptone Water (BPW), Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth (BLEB), and Rappaport-Vassiliadis (RV) and incubated at 37°C, 30°C, and 42°C, respectively. At 4 hours pre-enrichment, antibiotics were added to BLEB and incubation continued for a total of 48 hours. BPW and RV were incubated for 24 hours. Enriched BPW samples were plated to Eosin-Methylene Blue (EMB), and Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA). Enriched RV samples were plated to XLT4 agar, and enriched BLEB samples to R&F labs Listeria monocytogenes medium (LMCM) . EMB, MSA and XLT4 plates were incubated at 37°C, and LMCM at 30°C. Growth was assessed after 24-48 hours. E. coli positives were also streaked onto R&F laboratories Escherichia coli O157:H7 and non-O157:H7 chromagenic medias. Campylobacter spp. detection was performed with the BAX System PCR Campylobacter spp. assays without enrichment. Results: Six surveys were completed; 5/6 participants agreed to milk sampling. All farms milked goats. Three farms had E. coli in the milk; two did not sanitize the udders before milking, and one did not strain their milk afterwards.