DETECTION AND DETERMINATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL RESIDUE IN RAW COW MILK IN MAYA CITY, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Antimicrobials are among the most widely used drugs in dairy animals for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Antimicrobials are commonly used in dairy animals for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, but their residues in raw milk pose a serious public health risk. This study aimed to detect antimicrobial residues and determine oxytetracycline residues level in raw cow milk from Maya City between October 2023 and June 2023. A total of 400 raw milk samples were collected from three sub-cities, and a survey assessed lactating cow owners' knowledge of veterinary antimicrobial use, antimicrobial residues and their potential health impacts. The samples were screened for antimicrobial residues using the Delvotest SP assay and then analyzed with HPLC-UV to quantify oxytetracycline levels. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Of the analyzed samples for antimicrobial residues, 23.3% had detectable antimicrobial residues. In the sub-cities of Haramaya, Adele, and Awadeye, 28.0%, 18.3%, and 22.2% of milk samples contained residues, respectively. The overall mean level of oxytetracycline was 81.8μg/l, with the levels of 79.4μg/l in Haramaya, 94.3μg/l in Adele, and 76.7μg/l in Awadeye. In Maya City, oxytetracycline levels ranged from 0.55 to 184.68μg/l. About 8.5% of raw milk samples exceeded the maximum residue limit, specifically 9.33% from Haramaya, 7.83% from Adele, and 8.2% from Awadeye. The results showed that antimicrobials, especially oxytetracycline, were used irresponsibly in the study areas, posing a risk of harmful residues to consumers. Regulatory authorities must raise awareness and enforce strict regulations on antimicrobial use in the livestock