Microbiological and Physicochemical Characteristics of Raw Milk of Animals Grazed Around Sugar Cane Plants in Sudan

Aims: This study was conducted to study the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of milk from animals grazed around sugar cane plants in Sudan.

Methodology: A total of 94 samples of milk were collected from area grazed by animals around sugar cane plants as follows: 20 samples from Guneid, 22 samples from Sinnar, 20 samples from Assalaya, 15 samples from Kenana and 17 samples from New Halfa. According to the species of the animals: 14 samples from sheep, 29 samples from goat and the rest of samples (51) from cows. The milk samples were subjected to physicochemical (fat, protein, total solids, solids-non-fat, lactose, density) and microbiological [total viable bacteria count (TVBC) and lactic acid bacteria count] characteristics were determined.

Results: The results showed that physicochemical and microbiological characteristics were significantly (P<0.001) affected by the plant from which samples were collected. The fat (7.44%), protein (3.96%), total solids (17.38%) and solids-non-fat (9.94%) contents were high in milk collected from Assalaya plant, while lactose content (5.17%) and density (0.0339) were high in milk from Guneid plant. TVBC and lactic acid bacteria count (Log 11.78 and Log 8.88 cfu/ml, respectively) were high in milk from Kenana plant. The fat (7.02%), protein (3.88%), total solids (16.82%) and solids-non-fat (9.80%) contents were significantly higher in sheep milk, while TVBC (Log 9.31 cfu/ml) and lactic acid bacteria count (Log 6.49 cfu/ml) counts were significantly higher in goat milk, and the lactose content and density were not significantly affected by the species of the animal.

Conclusion: The physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of milk were affected by the plant from around which samples were collected, while the species of the animal affected all physicochemical and microbiological characteristics except lactose and density of milk.