Variability of microbial teat skin flora in relation to farming practices and individual dairy cow characteristics

Abstract

This study is the first that assessed the influence of farming practices and individual cow characteristics on a large number of microbial groups (n = 10) and cow samples (n = 192). Its aim was to establish how farming practices and intrinsic characteristics of dairy cows can influence the microbiota on teat skin. Microbial flora of 96 cow teat skin from 16 farms, sampled during milking and before washing, was counted on ten dairy-specific media. Gram-positive catalase-positive bacteria including coagulase-negative staphylococci, were at high level on teat skin (4.7 ± 1.5 log cfu.mL⁻¹) whereas lactobacilli, enterococci, Gram-negative bacteria, moulds and yeasts were at a level below 3 log cfu.mL⁻¹. Gram-positive catalase-positive bacteria and yeasts were lower in heifers and when milking hygiene practices were intensive. Higher Lactobacillus and Enterococcus counts were linked to a silage-based diet, free stalls with straw bedding and moderate milking hygiene but also to multiparous cows. This study showed that dairy cow characteristics could interact with farming practices to affect the counts of microbial flora on teat skin. It offered prospects to better control teat microbial balance taking into account the milking hygiene practices, the parturition and the type of animal housing.

摘要

本文首次评价了养殖方式和奶牛的个体特征对微生物的菌群(10)和奶牛(192)的影响。该研究的目的是确立养殖方式和奶牛固有的特征是如何影响奶牛乳头皮肤上微生物菌群的。来自16个牧场的96头奶牛的乳头皮肤上微生物在10种不同的微生物培养基上进行培养并计数,分别在乳头洗涤之前和挤奶过程中取奶样。实验结果表明:奶牛乳头皮肤上有大量的革兰氏阳性过氧化氢阳性菌,如凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌(4.7 ± 1.5 log cfu.mL⁻¹),然而,乳酸杆菌,肠球菌,革兰氏阴性菌,霉菌和酵母的数量低于3 log cfu.mL⁻¹。对于小母牛来说,当挤奶卫生条件较好时,革兰氏阳性过氧化氢阳性菌和酵母菌的数量较低。高数量的乳酸菌(Lactobacillus)和肠球菌(Enterococcus)与饲喂奶牛的青贮饲料、散草堆底层草、挤奶卫生条件以及多胎次奶牛有关。这些研究表明奶牛的特征和养殖方式相互一起影响了奶牛乳头皮肤上微生物菌群的数量。本研究在考虑到奶牛挤奶的卫生条件、奶牛的分娩以及奶牛的圈养方式的情况下,对更好的控制奶牛乳头皮肤上微生物平衡提供了较好的发展前景