Los microorganismos patógenos de la leche cruda y la aplicabilidad de buenas prácticas ganaderas (BPG) en predios pecuarios de la cuenca del río Anaime en Colombia

Raw milk is milk that has not undergone any sanitization process and should not be subject to any addition or extraction. Raw milk with poor hygienic and sanitary quality is considered a global public health concern, yet its commercialization remains widespread in Colombia. The objective of this study was to characterize the microbiological and pathogenic flora of raw bovine milk and assess the applicability index of Good Livestock Practices (GLP) in the Anaime River basin, Tolima. A total of 108 samples were collected from 27 farms, categorized into three types: C1 – mixed agriculture-livestock farms; C2 – dairy farms; and C3 – large-scale cattle ranches. Statistically significant results were found in C3 for RBAM (P≤0.05), RCT (P≤0.05), and Staphylococcus counts (P≤0.05), while RCS differences were not significant (P>0.05). Prevalence of E. coli was observed across all clusters: 80% in C1, 78% in C2, and 100% in C3. Staphylococcus aureus was present in 75% of C1, 60% of C2, and 60% of C3 samples. No Salmonella spp. was detected. For the GLP applicability index, a checklist of eight thematic axes was used. C3 farms showed the best overall performance; however, only 44% of all farms implemented biosecurity measures, and 67% had access to running water for animals and operations. In conclusion, raw milk from Anaime does not meet the required hygienic and sanitary quality standards, and farms show shortcomings in the implementation of GLP.