Prevalence of Various Microbial Organisms Isolated from Dairy Goat Milk Samples in Central Kenya Highlands

Six- hundred and thirty (630) apparently normal milk samples from dairy goats in Nyeri district (Kenya) were examined over a three-month period to determine the prevalence of bacterial organisms. Bacteria were isolated in 28.7% of milk samples (181/630) either as a single bacterial organism (92.8%) or mixed bacterial organisms (7.2%). The most prevalent bacterial organisms isolated were Staphylococcus spp. (60.3%) followed by Micrococcus spp (17.7%), Acinetobacter spp (5%), Actinomyces spp (5%) and Streptococcus spp (1.1%). No Coliform or yeasts were isolated from any milk samples. The staphylococcus spp were mainly comprised of coagulase negative staphylococcus (64.3%) and coagulase positive staphylococcus (35.7%), these organisms accounted for 37.5% and 22.7% of the total bacterial isolates respectively. The isolation of bacteria in the apparently normal caprine milk, some of which are important in clinical and subclinical mastitis (especially staphylococcus spp) means that particular attention should be given to the management of these diary goat flocks in order to avoid cases of clinical mastitis. The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 25 2002: pp. 9-1