Milk total bacterial count (TBC) is an indication of on-farm hygiene practices and microbial quality of raw milk. TBC bacteria include staphylococcal aureus, streptococcal aureus, coliforms, enterobacteriaceae and E.coli. In 2015, the milk quota was abolished, due to this abolition it gave farmers the opportunity to expand their herds. Subsequently, an increased herd means raw milk will be stored on farms for longer periods of time (O’Connell et al., 2016). Milk supplied in Lee Strand Co-operative is separated as liquid milk and manufacturing milk. TBC results are kept on file and any supplier with results over the threshold will be manufacturer processed the following month. Liquid milk produce requires strict standards as it is a ready-to-eat product with severe consequences if viable bacteria numbers are present (Sugrue., 2018). Microbial growth increases the longer it is stored on farm. There are many EU regulations in place to ensure the safe production of milk that is safe for human consumption. Ireland have a threshold of 100,000 cfu/ml for TBC (EC regulation no. 852-853/2004). Cfu/ml are colony forming units per ml which is a measure of bacteria numbers. Milk exceeding this threshold cannot be accepted by liquid milk processors. Milk not accepted by the processors mean the milk must be discarded. Discarded milk is a massive loss to the farmer’s profit, making good farming practises their most valuable asset. Farmer’s with low TBC counts carry out hygienic farm practices. Farmers’ will be provided with a milk quality bonus for supplying good quality milk. TBC above standards is high risk contamination and can cause serious consequences to the food chain. The majority of liquid milk processors implement an initiative to maintain standards such as deductions if thresholds are disobeyed. TBC is influenced by many on-farm factors. TBC and on farm practices have stayed relevant over the years with hygiene practices still contributing to total bacteria counts. The aim of this literature review is to identify ways to improve total bacterial counts on farms and to research if different hygiene programmes have different impacts on plate counts. It will also be researched what environments have an impact on total bacteria count. Udder hygiene (Galton et al., 1983), teat preparation (Gleeson et al., 2009), milking plant hygiene (Neijenhuis et al., 2001) and winter housing are all foundations of lowering the risk of bacterial contamination.
