| Abstract: | A study was carried out to establish the prevalence and determinants of mastitis and milk‐borne zoonoses in smallholder dairy farms in Kibaha and Morogoro districts (Tanzania). A total of 57 herds comprising 114 milking cows in Kibaha and 48 herds consisting of 96 milking animals in Morogoro were included in the study. A questionnaire survey was used to assess the socio‐economic determinants of mastitis, whereas California mastitis test (CMT) and microbiological assessment of milk was carried out to establish the status of mastitis and responsible aetiological agents. Seroconversion for brucellosis was evaluated using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Animals were also tuberculin‐tested using a single comparative intradermal method and milk samples were cultured for isolation of Mycobacterium species. Based on CMT, the cow‐based prevalence of subclinical mastitis was 82.4% in Kibaha and 62.4% in Morogoro. Of the 919‐quarter milk samples cultured, 8.2% were positive for aerobic bacteria with predominant isolates being Staphylococcus epidermidis (2.8%), Staph. aureus (1.7%), Streptococcus agalactiae (1.2%) and Staph. intermedius (1.1%). There was a strong association between CMT positivity and bacteriological isolation [relative risk (RR) = 2.60; P = 0.02]. Fungal growth was observed in 21.8% (n = 881) of the samples and the isolates were yeast (19.2%), Mucor (2.5%) and Aspergillus (0.1%). Bucket feeding of calves was associated with increased risk of a quarter being CMT positive (RR = 1.24; P = 0.000), while residual calf suckling was associated with decreased risk of positivity (RR = 0.86; P = 0.015). Earth floor was associated with increased risk of CMT positivity at quarter level (RR = 1.13; P = 0.041) and Jersey breed was identified as a risk factor to mastitis. The prevalence of bovine tuberculosis was 0.4% (n = 259) and 1.7% (n = 181) in Kibaha and Morogoro, respectively. Similarly, the prevalence of brucellosis was 1% (n = 208) in Kibaha and 1.9% (n = 104) in Morogoro. Findings from this study have demonstrated a high prevalence of subclinical mastitis and existence of health risks to milk consumers despite the low prevalence of tuberculosis and brucellosis in the study herds. |
