Performing Department
POPULATION HEALTH & REPRODUCTION
Non Technical Summary
e are going to bundle UV light technologies with conventional pasteurization to better inactivate pathogens of known animal health and public health concern. On-farm, we can use this approach to improve animal health, thus reducing the need for antimicrobial use and we can help improve milk quality and food safety.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Characterization of host mechanisms associated with mastitis susceptibility and resistance
Characterization and manipulation of virulence factors of mastitis pathogens for enhancing host defenses
Assessment and application of new technologies that advance mastitis control, milk quality and dairy food safety
Project Methods
Objective 3: Assessment and application of new technologies that advance mastitis control, milk quality and dairy food safety For 2012 we will focus upon non-thermal sterilization of milk with conventional thermal pasteurization in an effort to provide an added measure of quality to waste milk fed to calves, fluid milks and milk powders. This combination of UV illumination with heat pasteurization will be designed to inactivate spores that cause milk spoilage and food safety concerns as well as the pathogens in waste milk that cause serious problems in calf health. We will also be improving milk quality by better inactivation of mastitis pathogens that cause both animal health and public health concerns. There will be a special effort to inactivate pathogens possessing antibiotic resistance genes that are being fed to neonatal calves. We want to protect our young-stock that will move into the milking herd and reduce the potential food safety hazards associated with antibiotic resistance.