Igiene, sanità animale e commercializzazione del latte in Niger

A study was performed in 2007 in Hamdallaye dairy herds (Niger) to organise and improve the local milk production chain. Lactating cows were reported in seven traditional herds and four local breeds: Bororo (37%), Azawak (32%), Djelli (18%), Goudali (2%) and there crossing (11%). According to bacteriology, general mastitis prevalence in Hamdallaye dairy cattle was 28.15% with: S. aureus (11.45%); Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS: 14.55%) and environmental microorganisms (2.15%). Herd prevalence ranged from 2.94% to 35.3%. In dry season infections were assigned to four classes, according to the major pathogen, and the respective mean SCC (P<0.05): non-infected (263 x 103 cells/mL); S. aureus (776 x 103 cells/mL); CNS (447 x 103 cells/mL) and environmental micro organisms (407 x 103 cells/mL). Most of the tested strains were susceptible to the antibiotics and selected strains of S. aureus were negative to the multiplex PCR tests for production of enterotoxins A, C, D, G, H, I, J and L.