title: [Total bacterial count in raw milk from the dairy farms that characterize the zone northwest of Santa Fe and south of Santiago del Estero].
abstract: A total of 6,998 raw milk samples of bulk tank, belonging to 55 dairy farms associated to the Cooperativa Tambera Nueva Alpina Ltda., were collected between the years 1993 and 2002. The Total Mesophilic Aerobic Microorganisms Count was analyzed, obtaining a medium value of 1.2 x 10(5) +/- 2.4 x 10(5) CFU/ml that characterizes the zone. The final year of experience, observed a 97% of dairy farms evaluated with averages < or = 1.0 x 10(5) CFU/ml. Only a 3% it surpasses this limit, not being found establishments with levels over 1.5 x 10(5) CFU/ml. Relating this indicators with compositionals parameters, the most significant correlation resulted for: Total Bacterial Count vs Acidity (r = 0.292; P < 0.001) and Total Bacterial Count vs Freezing Point (r = 0.157; P < 0.001. The microbiological quality in raw milk of dairy farms belonging to the northwest zone of Santa Fe and south of Santiago del Estero showed a significant improvement during this time.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio Integral de Servicios Analíticos, Cooperativa Tambera Nueva Alpina Ltda., Ceres (2340), Santa Fe, Argentina. lisa@inthersil.com.ar
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Revelli
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Sbodio
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Tercero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina; D001419:Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002417:Cattle; D003612:Dairying / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology*