The aim of this work was to evaluate the current hygiene-sanitary quality of milk produced by eight dairy goat farms located in Vale do Taquari region, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. On each farm, two samplings were performed during the highest milk yield period. At each sampling, bulk milk and water samples were taken, and farms were checked for their facilities, milking management and milk storage. Water samples were subjected to fecal coliform enumeration, while milk samples were tested for total and fecal colifoms as well as for coagulase-positive staphylococci. Water samples presented fecal coliform levels according to the national legislation. In milk samples total coliform counts up to 1.4 x 10(6)CFU mL-1 were found. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were not isolated and fecal coliforms were detected in two farms. No correlation was observed between the number of total coliforms and milking management and milk storage.
bulk tank milk; goat milk; Escherichia coli; coagulase-negative staphylococci
