The Relationship Between the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Herders on Hygienic Milking and The Contamination Risk of Milk with Cryptosporidium Oocyst in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Dairy products are consumed by millions on daily basis worldwide and as such the potential for foodborne illness is a major concern. This study investigated the occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocyst in cow bulk milk and the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of herders towards hygienic milking in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna State, Nigeria. A total of 120 milk samples were collected for this study. Detection of Cryptosporidium oocyst in milk samples was carried out by concentration technique using Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4) solution and stained with Modified Ziehl Neelsen method. Sixty (60) structured questionnaires were administered to herders in the study area to identify possible risk factors and assess their knowledge, attitudes and practices toward hygienic milking. The overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in cow bulk milk was 11.7% (14/120). Questionnaires administered showed that the majority of the respondents had poor knowledge (88.3%), negative attitudes (85.0%) and adopted unsatisfactory practices (95.0%) to hygienic milking. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in cow bulk milk from this study suggests that the dairy cattle in these LGAs have a high potential for transmitting Cryptosporidium to humans. Hence the findings of this study are of great public health significance as these group of animals sampled produce milk for consumption in both urban and rural communities. Therefore, inhabitants of these LGAs should be informed and educated on the need to improve sanitary measures while milking these animals and the need for adequate pasteurization of milk before consumption.