QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF RAW MILK OF BUFFALO FROM THE ROMANIAN MURRAH BREED

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality, the physico-chemical parameters and the degree of hygiene of raw buffalo milk from the Romanian Buffalo breed. Samples were collected between August 2017- May 2018, in total of 120, 30 samples each season. The milk collection was made from buffaloes in different lactations from the Research and Development Station for Buffalos Breeding Sercaia, Brasov County, Romania. The health of the mammary gland and milk hygiene were assessed by determining the number of somatic cells and by microbiological analysis, and the milk composition by determining physico-chemical parameters. Microbiology analysis show increased TNG during winter (3.4x10(4)) compared with autumn where is registered the lowest TNG (1.1x10(4)) and a mean somatic cell count (SCC) of 1026.5 x 10(3). Pathogenic bacteria were isolated and identified from Bacillus licheniformis species 4.6 +/- 0.32; Staphylococcus spp. 2.95 +/- 0.53; and Trueperella pyogenes 1.43 +/- 0.26. The physico-chemical parameters had the following average values: fat 7.9%+/- 0.38; protein 4.2%+/- 0.23; lactose 4.0%+/- 0.19; ash 0.57%+/- 0.57 and average density at 18 degrees C of milk was 1.029. Microbiological determinations correlated with the composition of buffalo milk are the main criteria for estimating losses due to the existence of subclinical or clinical mammals in the herd and provide the necessary framework for the implementation of preventive and control measures for these diseases. The correlation between the somatic cells and the milk composition is taken into account when determining the price of raw buffalo milk and this is also the element on which predictions are made as to how milk will behave in the different stages of the processing scenario and how it will influence finished products.