Vol. 10, Issue 4, Part D (2025)

Author(s): Vikas, Ramesh Pandey, Neeraj, Sana DV Satyanarayana, Manish Kumar Meena and Kaajal Nainwal

Abstract: This experiment was conducted during December 2023 to April 2024 at SHUATS Dairy Farm, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India to assess the impact of using aqueous turmeric solutions as a pre-milking udder wash on the bacteriological quality of raw milk in cross-bred cows. Mastitis and other bacterial infections are common concerns in dairy farming, affecting milk quality and safety. Turmeric, known for its antibacterial properties, was tested as a potential natural udder wash to improve milk hygiene by reducing lipolytic bacterial contamination. Twelve healthy, mastitis-free cows were selected from SHUATS Dairy Farm, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, and subjected to four pre-milking udder wash treatments: T₀ (control, water wash), T₁ (20 g turmeric/ 1 L water), T₂ (30 g turmeric/1 L water), and T₃ (40 g turmeric/1 L water). Milk samples were collected under sterile conditions and analyzed for Lipolytic Bacterial Count (LBC×10²) ml using standard bacteriological methods. The differences in LBC between treatments were statistically evaluated using ANOVA to determine the significance of the results. The results revealed that LBC ranged from 25 to 41 across all treatments, with the lowest LBC recorded in T₃ (29.20) and the highest in the control group, T₀ (36.00). Mean LBC values for T₁ and T₂ were 32.20 and 30.20, respectively. Statistical analysis (p<0.05) confirmed that increasing concentrations of turmeric in the udder wash significantly reduced LBC in the milk, improving bacteriological quality. These findings suggest that aqueous turmeric solutions could be an effective, natural method for reducing bacterial contamination in raw milk, enhancing food safety in dairy production.

DOI: 10.22271/veterinary.2025.v10.i4d.2203