Evaluation of Feed Table Coverage FTCMR over bacterial contamination control in a cows feeders. (2021). Betancourt – Gallegos, O.; Melgarejo, R.; Moncada-Herrera, J.; Neumann, J.; Bombal, J.

In order to protect the hygienic quality of milk and nutrition of the dairy farm, an additional solution to milking hygiene is to control the contamination of the feeders environment. The effectiveness of an FTC^MR (DeLaval) PVC feeding table cover on the microbial count was estimated by comparing the mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total coliform, E. coli and butyric spore counts between concrete feeding places (control) and another with the cover. This was done between October to January in a semi-intensive milk production system in Cunco, IX Region (Chile). Sterile swab were taken in areas of 10 cm² and all counts were performed according to standards methods. Significant differences were obtained between the feeding places according to surface area (p <0.05), in all counts of indicator microorganisms. However, there were no statistical differences (p> 0.05) between counts per month of sampling, except for the E. coli indicator (p = 0.001). In conclusion, the presence of the cover would positively influence the reduction of indicator microorganisms at the feeding level between October to January, which would protect the quality of the forage, and the hygiene and duration time of the milk.