Table 6.
Factors (n = 5) with significant variations between their categories with regard to total bacterial counts (geometric mean [95% confidence intervals] cfu mL−1) in the bulk-tank milk of 325 sheep flocks in Greece.
| Month into the lactation period at sampling | ||||||
| 0–1st (n = 23) | 2nd–5th (n = 138) | 6th–9th (n = 147) | After 9th (n = 17) | p | ||
| 991 × 103 (427 × 103–2344 × 103) | 419 × 103 (316 × 103–550 × 103) | 342 × 103 (263 × 103–437 × 103) | 284 × 103 (162 × 103–490 × 103) | 0.026 | ||
| Water cleaning of parlor after the milking sessions | ||||||
| Yes (n = 247) | No (n = 8) | p | ||||
| 392 × 103 (316 × 103–479 × 103) | 1323 × 103 (891 × 103–1950 × 103) | 0.038 | ||||
| Average number of lambs born per ewe | ||||||
| < 1.50 (n = 280) | ≥ 1.51 (n = 45) | p | ||||
| 438 × 103 (363 × 103–525 × 103) | 221 × 103 (141 × 103–355 × 103) | 0.009 | ||||
| Length of animal farming experience of the farmer | ||||||
| ≤ 5 years (n = 74) | 6–29 years (n = 89) | ≥ 30 years (n = 162) | p | |||
| 524 × 103 (363 × 103–759 × 103) | 483 × 103 (331 × 103–692 × 103) | 315 × 103 (245 × 103–407 × 103) | 0.036 | |||
| Education of the farmer | ||||||
| Primary or secondary (n = 222) | Over secondary (n = 103) | p | ||||
| 459 × 103 (363 × 103–575 × 103) | 291 × 103 (214 × 103–389 × 103) | 0.019 | ||||