The Rural Voice, 1983-08, Page 36BERG
SALES -SERVICE
INSTALLATIONS
• Barn Cleaners
• Bunk Feeders
• Stabling
• Hydraulic Pumps
FREE ESTIMATES
Donald G. Ives
R R 2 Blyth
Brussels 882-9024
SA,aARD
HOME MILK
and
CREAM PASTEURIZER
Fast
Low temperature
Pasteurization
under low pressure.
Vacuum -sealed
Cooling for
Better flavoured milk.
Complete destruction
of disease -producing
bacteria without
over -heating.
Easy to use
and reasonable to buy.
LE1fO DIIRY
UPPLY LTD.
R.R. 1, ATWOOD
519-356-2282
PG. 34 THE RURAL VOICE, AUGUST 1983
GUEST COLUMN
The difference between
clean and safe milk
by K.D. Seeger C.P.H.I. (C)
"WARNING! Anyone who drinks milk
that has not been pasteurized or sterilized
is taking chances with his or her health."
These words are found on a poster pro-
duced by the Ontario Ministry of Health
and also recorded in news releases from
the various health agencies around the
province.
Why the sudden concern? Milk is one of
the most wholesome foods available on
the market today. However, milk can be
considered safe to drink only when It has
been pasteurized or sterilized. When
these processes are used, micro
organisms that cause tuberculosis,
typhoid, undulant fever, salmonellosis
and other diseases are killed.
In the past few years there have been in-
creasing incidents of humans becoming
severely ill from consumption of raw milk
(unpasteurized or unsterilized). The com-
mon organism which has been isolated in
the cases reported is one known as
Salmonella muenster.
In one case, all those infected had
relatives in the country and drank raw milk
while visiting the farm. In another inci-
dent, the people infected were employed
by a farmer whose child had S. muenster.
In 1981, in Ontario, a total of 3553 cases of
Salmonella in humans was reported; 111
were S. muenster. This was a significant
increase from the 37 reported the previous
year.
Most people involved in animal husban-
dry are aware that various types of
Salmonella are found in most farm
animals such as pigs, poultry, and cattle.
Salmonella muenster is mainly found in
dairy cattle. Just prior to the increase of
human isolations, there was an increase
In S. muenster infection in dairy herds,
particularly in southwestern Ontario.
If you are a dairy farmer reading this far,
you are probably saying that you have no
worry, since "my milk is clean". There Is a
definite distinction between "clean" milk
and "safe" milk. Clean milk is produced
when the barn and cows are kept clean,
when milking equipment is thoroughly
washed and sanitized after each milking,
and when sanitary procedures are used.
Such milk is low in dirt particles and
general bacteria levels. But this does not
mean that all disease -producing bacteria
have been destroyed.
Dairy cows and other animals, like
humans. can become diseased,
sometimes without knowing the organism
Is there, i.e. no noticeable illness occurr-
Ing. The causative micro organism may be
shed In the milk or in the manure. A com-
mon avenue of cross -infection Is through
the consumption of raw milk or cream.
Symptoms: What to look for.
Mature cows develop fevers 104-106
degrees fahrenheit or 40.41 degrees
celsius, enteritis, anorexia, and stress
associated diarrhea, abortions have also
been documented. Calves at variable ages
develop fever enteritis, diarrhea with
bloody stools, and concurrent pneumonia.
The Salmonella muenster organism has
also been Isolated from an aborted fetus,
in amniotic fluid and the placenta, as well
as from fecal specimens taken rectally.
When humans drink unpasteurized milk
contaminated with Salmonella or come in
contact with an infected cow they will
usually experience, 12 to 48 hours later,
symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, nausea
and colic.
Investigations have found that the ma-
jority of the families that drink the raw
milk from S. muenster infected herds ex-
perience symptoms or become asymp-
tomatic (carry the organism but have no
symptoms). The dairy cows themselves
can also be asymptomatic and therefore
appear healthy but still shed the
organism.
What to do?
Scientists have recently confirmed that
only a few hundred cells of Salmonella
bacteria are needed to make some people
III. Therefore, It is even more important to
be conscious of sanitation practices In
the barn, and in the milking parlour
before, during and after milking.
Since both the human and the cow can
become carriers (asymptomatic) of the
Salmonella organism, the person(s) work-
ing on the farm must be thorough In their
personal hygiene and the hygiene of the
cow that is to be milked.
With good practices used, In regular
cleaning of milking equipment and bulk
tank, the total bacteria count of milk In the
bulk tank at every other day pick-up
should be well below 10,000/mi.
This level of bacteria would more nearly
reflect the bacterial types that are natural
to the cow's udder. Good sanitation will
reduce or prevent the growth of bacteria