The Brazilian dairy production is in increasing expansion due to the evident improvement in the productive capacity of the herd of cattle. However, many dairy farmers face health problems in their herds, such as mastitis, hull... [ view full abstract ]
The Brazilian dairy production is in increasing expansion due to the evident improvement in the productive capacity of the herd of cattle. However, many dairy farmers face health problems in their herds, such as mastitis, hull problems, parasitic sadness, among others, that require pharmacological treatments. The result of the institution of these treatments is the presence of residues of drugs in milk, a fact that prevents their consumption by humans, because they constituted a health risk. This milk, known as disposal milk, is non-marketable milk which has been rejected by the industry either for diseases such as mastitis or for other reasons for antibiotic treatment or for health problems such as poor hygiene. The objective of this research was to characterize the main ways of destination of disposal milk from dairy farms in southern Brazil. The methodology consist a data collection in 26 dairy farms on the destination of disposal milk: supply for calves, supply to other animals, dumped into the environment or others. The data were tabulated and the forms used were evaluated. The results showed that most of the properties provide untreated disposal milk for calves, showing that producers have limited knowledge about the health, production and environmental consequences of this form of destination. This action represents a serious economic loss for the producer and these practices are not sustainable from the economic, sanitary and environmental point of view. Provision of milk containing residues of antibiotics to calves can lead problems such as increased risk of bacterial resistance and transmission the mastitis bacteria to growing heifers. The literature recommends caution with the use of this milk as not providing it to calves in the first days of life, not using it if it has visual changes such as presence of blood, aqueous milk or excess of lumps, dilute the milk of the first milking after antibiotic treatment in milk without antibiotics or pasteurizing the milk to be used for breastfeeding the calves. These actions prevent their disposal in the environment as well as allow their use in a safe way. It becomes evident guide and disseminate relevant information about the correct destination of disposal milk, seeking to contribute to the milk production chain, making it more economically, sanitary and environmentally sustainable.
Key words: milk with antibiotic, sustainable agriculture, dairy cattle.
