Question

The source of contamination of mastitis milk is -

• A. Interior of udder
• B. The milker
• C. Utensils
• D. Flies and other vermin

Hint:

Differentiate between the {source of infection} (how the cow gets sick) and the {source of contamination in the milk} (why the milk from that cow is bad). For mastitis, the source of contamination in the milk is the infection already present inside the udder.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the direct source of the contamination found *in* mastitic milk. Mastitis is an infection of the mammary gland (udder).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
While external factors can transmit the disease, the question is about the source of the contaminants (bacteria, somatic cells) within the milk itself.
(A) Interior of udder: Mastitis is an infection within the udder tissue. The bacteria multiply inside the udder, and the cow's body responds by sending a large number of white blood cells (somatic cells) to the site. Both the pathogenic bacteria and the high number of somatic cells are shed directly into the milk as it is formed and stored. Therefore, the infected interior of the udder is the direct source of the contamination that defines mastitic milk.
(B) The milker, (C) Utensils, (D) Flies: These are all potential vectors or routes of transmission that can introduce mastitis-causing pathogens to the cow's teat end, leading to an infection. However, they are not the source of the contamination within the milk that has already been drawn from an infected cow.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The direct source of the high bacterial and somatic cell counts that contaminate mastitic milk is the infected interior of the udder itself.