Aspectos da mão de obra contratada e qualidade do leite em propriedades leiteiras localizadas no sul de Minas Gerais

Abstract

This study had the objective of analyzing some socioeconomic and behavioral aspects, workplace and labor rights of 37 contracted milkers from 28 dairy farms located in six counties of the southern region of Minas Gerais State, through application of a checklist during the milking routine. The frequency ratio between the evaluated aspects and the means for total bacterial count (TBC) (greater than 100,000 CFU/mL) and somatic cell count (SCC) (greater than 600,000 cells/mL) analyses of bulk tank milk were then correlated. We identified that the majority of farms had a semi-intensive production system, with two daily milkings (carried out in automatic milking buckets) and bulk tanks were the predominant milk cooling system; a daily milk production greater than 151 liters of milk/day with a maximum production of 20 liter/per cow/day were also identified. Respectively 89% and 57% of farms had TBC and SCC means below the legislation limits. Aspects related to technification parameters within farms (both high and low), and some aspects associated with the characteristics of the workplace, labor rights, and behavior of milkers and substitute milkers (weekend labor) had a relationship with the quality of milk produced. Generally, in farms where these aspects were not in agreement with the recommendations, we identified a greater incidence of bulk tank milk TBC and SCC means above the legislation limits.