Download Bulk Tank Culture

Bulk Tank Culture
LAST TEST
SEP 8
The Bulk Tank Culture Report lists the counts of mastitis and non-mastitis bacteria frequently found in bulk tank
milk. These organisms are checked for on every sample and if none are found they are reported as "0". In addition
up to four other rare or exotic causes of mastitis that can be detected in bulk tank milk are listed only if they are
present in your sample. The results are reported as numbers of bacteria per milliliter of milk. The bulk tank culture
report shows you which bacteria are contributing the most to your "Raw Count". The Total shown near the bottom is
simply the sum of these individual classes of bacteria that contribute to your raw count. Mycoplasma counts are
never reported as part of your raw bacteria count so they are listed below the total.
BULK TANK ORGANISMS CHART
WHAT THEY MEAN FOR MILK QUALITY AND UDDER HEALTH
Asterisks indicate relative likelihood of the organism to be associated with various dairy herd problems.
HIGH
RAW
0
*
0
**
<100
*
0
0
<500
*
<500 ***
<1000
<100
0
0
*
0
0
0
0
0
GOAL
STAPH. AUREUS
STREP AG
E. COLI
KLEBSIELLA
PS. AERUGINOSA
STREP SPECIES
E. STREP.
STAPH SPECIES
PS SPECIES
BACILLUS
A. PYOGENES
NOCARDIA
SERRATIA
YEAST
PROTOTHECA
MYCOPLASMA
PROTEUS
OVERGROWTH
0
HIGH
SCC
***
**
*
HIGH
PI
HIGH
LPC
*
*
*
VERY
CONTAGIOUS
**
***
*
*
**
**
*
**
**
SOURCE
Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs
Manure/Infected Qtrs
Bedding/Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs/Water
Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs/skin
Skin/Infected Qtrs
Soil/Water
Soil
Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs
Infected Qtrs
Soil
1.
Staph. aureus, Strep ag. and Mycoplasma are all major mastitis pathogens and are highly contagious.
Contagious mastitis organisms have the greatest potential to spread to many cows, resulting in a high bulk
tank somatic cell count. If bulk tank milk shows their presence then a search should be initiated to discover
and eliminate the source of the organism.
2.
E. coli and Klebsiella are commonly found in manure, bedding and sometimes water supplies in the dairy
environment. They can cause acute mastitis but are a less likely cause of high bacteria counts.
Contamination of milk by dirty teats or manure will more likely explain high bacteria counts by these
organisms.
3.
Ps. aeruginosa. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is relatively rare but very damaging and contagious. Its'
presence in bulk milk is usually from infected quarters. Infested milking parlor drop hoses are a common
source.
4.
Strep species, E. Strep. and Staph. species are all minor mastitis pathogens and are readily found on
teat skin. They are commonly found in bulk tank milk and elevated counts may be associated with infected
quarters or teat sanitation problems. Strep. uberis infection can result in extremely high bacteria counts for
short periods of time in infected quarters.
5.
Ps. species. Pseudomonas species are readily found as a non-disease causing bacteria in the dairy
environment. If there are soil deposits on the stainless, or if contaminated water supplies are used in
washing equipment, then they will show up in bulk tank milk. They will grow at cool temperatures and may
be a cause of high PI counts.
6.
Bacillus species are various types of non-disease causing bacteria. Because these organisms are usually
spore forming and therefore heat resistant, they can cause a high lab pasteurized test. Usually introduced
from contaminated teat skin, and they can grow in soil deposits on stainless.
7.
A. pyogenes. Actinomyces pyogenes, is the most common abscess causing bacteria in cattle (uterus, skin,
udder). This is an infrequent cause of mastitis but it produces very abnormal milk and can result in high
bacteria counts.
8.
Serratia and Prototheca are rare causes of mastitis and are typically associated with contaminated water
supplies. Serratias have also occasionally been detected in bedding.
9.
Yeast and Nocardia are rare fungal causes of mastitis and can be contagious. They are frequently
associated with contaminated udder treatment devices.
10. Proteus overgrowth reported when this contaminant bacteria overgrows even well refrigerated samples.
This organism usually renders the test unreadable for any other organism.
Remember that storage temperature influences the counts contributed by the different bacteria. Cooling problems
can cause some bacteria counts to increase without affecting others. Also if counts of some bacteria are too high
then the presence of others may be masked and they will be falsely reported as zero.