Objectives were to investigate somatic cell counts (SCC) and total bacterial counts (TBC) in the raw bulk-tank milk of sheep flocks in Greece, to study factors potentially influencing increased SCC and TBC in the bulk-tank milk of sheep and to evaluate possible associations of SCC and TBC with milk content. Throughout Greece, 325 dairy sheep flocks were visited for collection of milk sampling for somatic cell counting, microbiological examination and composition measurement. Geometric mean SCC were 0.488 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹; geometric mean TBC were 398 × 10³ cfu mL⁻¹; 228 staphylococcal isolates were recovered form 206 flocks (63.4%). Multivariable analyses revealed annual incidence risk of clinical mastitis, age of the farmer and month into lactation period (among 53 variables) to be significant for SCC > 1.0 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹ and month into lactation period at sampling and availability of mechanical ventilators (among 58 variables) to be significant for TBC > 1500 × 10³ cfu mL⁻¹. Negative correlation of SCC with fat, total protein and lactose and positive correlation of SCC with added water were found. With SCC > 1.0 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹, significant reduction of protein content (2%) was observed, whilst in flocks with SCC > 1.5 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹, significantly lower annual milk production per ewe (42.9%) was recorded.

The objectives of this work were to study the prevalence and the patterns of antibiotic resistance of staphylococcal isolates from bulk-tank milk of goat herds across Greece, to assess possible associations of the presence of antibiotic resistance with the quality of milk in these herds and to evaluate herd-related factors potentially associated with the presence of antibiotic resistance among these staphylococcal isolates. A cross-sectional study was performed on 119 goat herds in Greece. Bulk-tank milk samples were collected for bacteriological examination; staphylococcal isolates were evaluated for resistance to 20 antibiotics. Oxacillin-resistant, resistant to at least one antibiotic, and multi-resistant staphylococcal isolates were recovered from 5.0%, 30.3%, and 16.0% of herds, respectively. Of 80 isolates, 7.5% were resistant to oxacillin, 50.0% were resistant to at least one antibiotic and 27.5% were multi-resistant. Resistance was seen more frequently among coagulase-negative staphylococci (59.3%) than among Staphylococcus aureus (23.8%). Resistance was more frequent against penicillin and ampicillin (41.3% of isolates) and fosfomycin (27.5%). No association was found with biofilm formation by staphylococci. For recovery of oxacillin-resistant isolates, the presence of working staff in the herds emerged as a significant factor; respective factors for the isolation of staphylococci resistant to at least one antibiotic were part-time farming and high (>10) number of systemic disinfections in the farm annually. The same three factors concurrently were also identified to be significant for the recovery of multi-resistant isolates.

The objectives of this work were to study prevalence and characteristics of resistance to antibiotics of staphylococcal isolates from the bulk-tank milk of sheep flocks across Greece, to assess possible associations of the presence of antibiotic resistance with the quality of milk in these flocks and to evaluate flock-related factors potentially associated with antibiotic resistance among these isolates. A cross-sectional study was performed in 325 sheep flocks in Greece. Bulk-tank milk samples were collected for bacteriological examination; staphylococcal isolates were evaluated for resistance to 20 antibiotics. Oxacillin-resistant staphylococcal isolates, isolates resistant to any antibiotic, and multi-resistant isolates were recovered from 8.0%, 30.5%, and 12.0% of flocks, respectively. Of 232 isolates, 11.6% were resistant to oxacillin, 46.1% were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 16.4% were multi-resistant. Resistance was seen more frequently among coagulase-negative (50.6%) than among Staphylococcus aureus (31.5%) isolates. Resistance was more frequent against penicillin and ampicillin (34.1% of isolates), clindamycin (17.7%), and fosfomycin (14.2%). An association was found between biofilm formation by staphylococci and resistance to fosfomycin. For recovery of oxacillin-resistant isolates, the lack of experience by farmers emerged as a significant factor; respective factors for the isolation of staphylococci resistant to any antibiotic or multi-resistant isolates were the early stage of the lactation period (0th–1st month) and the intensive management system applied in the flocks, respectively.

This paper presents the results of an extensive countrywide investigation performed in 325 dairy sheep flocks and 119 goat herds throughout Greece. The objectives of the study were (a) to investigate fat and protein content in the bulk-tank raw milk of small ruminant farms in Greece and (b) to identify factors potentially influencing that content and factors that can contribute to increased content. The mean fat/protein contents in bulk-tank raw milk of sheep and goats were 6.16 ± 0.05%/4.43 ± 0.01% and 4.77 ± 0.44%/3.23 ± 0.30%, respectively. Significant differences were seen in protein content between farms in the various parts of the country. For sheep, multivariable analyses revealed breed and age of lamb removal from dams as significant for fat content, and somatic cell counts, management system in the farm, administration of anthelmintic treatment during the last stage of pregnancy, and farmer education as significant for protein content. For goats, significant factors were month into lactation period, age of kid removal from dams, and breed for fat content, and somatic cell counts, month into lactation, grazing duration, and % Teladorsagia larvae in faecal samples for protein content. For concurrently high fat and protein content, in multivariable analyses, the following emerged as significant factors: somatic cell counts in milk, numbers of parasite eggs in faeces, and veterinary collaboration (sheep), and month into lactation and somatic cell counts in milk (goats). The results indicate that high somatic cell counts in milk (reflecting the presence of mastitis) and gastrointestinal parasitic infections (mainly Teladorsagia infection) appear to exert a more significant influence on fat and protein content of milk, in comparison to non-infection-related factors.

A cross-sectional study was performed in 325 sheep and 119 goat dairy farms in Greece. Samples of bulk-tank milk were examined by standard microbiological techniques for Listeria spp. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from one (0.3%) and Listeria ivanovii from three (0.9%) sheep farms. No associations between the isolation of L. monocytogenes or L. ivanovii and milk quality were found. No resistance to antibiotics was identified. Three variables emerged as significant predictors of isolation of the organism: the presence of pigs, low average relative humidity and a high number of ewes on the farm. The three L. ivanovii isolates were assessed in silico for identification of plasmids, prophages, antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors, CRISPRs and CAS genes. Phylogenetic analysis using the core genome revealed that the three strains belonged to the L. ivanovii subsp. ivanovii branch and were especially close to the PAM 55 strain. All strains of the branch appeared to be very similar, with the distance between them being small.

The study aimed to investigate the occurrence of zoonotic problems reported by dairy small ruminant farmers in Greece and to study potential associations with socio-demographic characteristics of the farmers and management practices applied in the farms. A countrywide investigation was performed in 325 sheep and 119 goat farms in the 13 administrative regions of Greece. The selected farms were visited and interviews were conducted with respective farmers. The occurrence of zoonotic problems in the farmers was recorded. A total biosecurity score (0–6) was devised, based on biosecurity practices followed in farms. Sixty-seven farmers (15.10%, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 12.1–18.7%) reported experiencing a zoonotic problem. Most of the farmers (n = 57) (85.1%, 95% CI: 74.76–91.7%, of those with a zoonotic problem) (12.8%, 95% CI: 10.0–16.3%, of all) reported that the zoonotic problem had been brucellosis. Odds ratio for the occurrence of brucellosis in goat farmers was 1.879 (95% CI: 1.051–3.359) compared to the occurrence of the infection in sheep farmers (p = 0.033). For the outcome ‘occurrence of brucellosis’ in sheep farmers, the application of hand-milking, the availability of a separate lambing area and the presence of cats in the farm emerged as significant (p < 0.01); for the same outcome in goat farmers, only the availability of a separate kidding area emerged as significant (p = 0.001). The mean biosecurity score in farms in the continental area of the country was significantly higher than in the islands: 3.45 ± 0.05 versus 2.76 ± 0.28, respectively (p = 0.006), whilst there was also a significantly higher score in farms, where the farmer reported occurrence of brucellosis: 3.68 ± 0.15 versus 3.34 ± 0.06 in farms, where the farmer did not report such an incident (p = 0.042). In farms, where the above predictors prevail, farmers should be warned of an increased potential risk for human infection and biosecurity measures should be implemented and tightened.