PROBLEMS OF QUALITY OF RAW MILK AND THEIR OVERCOMING BY DIPPING PROCEDURES WITH FORTICEPT® DRUGS

Indicators of physical and chemical composition of raw milk determine the safety and quality of products of its processing (cheese, butter, sour milk drinks). Cow udder hygiene is a guarantee of animal health and one of the most important factors in obtaining high-quality milk. The purpose of the study was to analyze the quality of raw milk in farms in the western region of Ukraine, as well as to determine the impact of dipping procedures using Forticept® Udder Wash (predipping) and Forticept® Udder Forte (dipping) on the quality of milk. In the course of the study, the generally accepted methods of physicochemical and bacteriological research of milk were used. In dairy complexes, where modern hygienically sound milk production technology has been introduced, mastitis affected no more than 9.5% of the herd. At the same time, in other farms with an imperfect industrial scheme, breast pathologies covered 57–80% of the herd. Also, according to authors’ data, the subclinical form of mastitis caused a decrease in milk production to 30 liters per month from one cow. Furthermore, the disease significantly affected the chemical composition, physical and microbiological parameters of milk. In livestock affected by mastitis, the average fat content of milk decreased to 3.17±0.05%, protein content – 2.93±0.12%, casein – 2.53±0.17%. In contrast, the number of somatic cells increased to 769.3±57.34 thousand/cm3. In the experiment, the therapeutic effect of the applied dipping with Forticept® solutions in the subclinical form of mastitis was 50%. The preventive effect almost reached a maximum – 96%. In fact, the procedure of dipping hygiene of the udder, regardless of the classic or innovative formula of the chosen remedy, significantly reduced the number of cases of hyperkeratosis and prevented the emergence of new ones. The number of udder nipple with pathological changes during the month of dipping decreased by 25%. Intensive udder hygiene also led to an increase in milk fat content (from 13.7 to 17.8%), protein (from 7.3 to 11.9%, P≤0.05) and lactose (from 6.1, P≤0.05 to 2.5%). Moreover, there were a decrease the number of somatic cells to grade milk of high quality (129.76±30.88 thousand/cm3, P≤0.05). Therefore, treatment of the udder by dipping procedures using antiseptic solutions Forticept® prevents cows from mastitis and hyperkeratosis, improves the chemical and bacteriological parameters of milk. In the future, test studies of Forticept® drugs for the use of small cattle are planned