EFFICACY OF GUAVA LEAF EXTRACT AS ALTERNATIVE PRE-MILKING TEAT DIPPING IN REDUCING TEAT–END BACTERIAL LOAD OF MILKING DAIRY COWS

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of aqueous methanolic guava leaf extracts used as pre-milking teat disinfectant on teat-end bacterial load reduction in lactating dairy cows.Methods: Two test-skin swabs of before and after teat dipping with 50% aqueous methanolic guava leaf extract were evaluated for the bacterial loads, i.e. total bacterial count (TBC), staphylococcal count (STA), streptococcal count (STR) and coliform count (COL), using 16 lactating cows on a smallholder dairy farm in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Commercially available common chemical disinfectants were also comparatively investigated.Results: Guava leaf extracts and the two others dis infectants showed reduction of the teat-end TBC and STA significantly while there was the decrease in teat-end STR and COL but the result was not significant in statistical analysis. Overall, applying the pre-milking teat dipping showed significant reduction of teat-end bacterial loads when compared to routine udder sanitization without teat dipping.Conclusion: The guava leaf extract can be used as an alternative of pre-milking teat disinfectant for reducing the teat-end bacterial loads. This may lead to lower chemical uses, which may promote more hygienic, safe milk for consumers, and decrease costs of mastitis risk control, especially in the developing and the third world countries where guava is native and easy to obtain.Â