The aim of the study was to determine the quality of raw milk delivered to
a dairy in the Wielkopolska region based on the occurrence of beta-lactum a
ntibiotic and inhibitory substances and also total bacteria count and somat
ic cell number. The study was carried out over 1998, 1999 and 2000. During
this period 1512 samples of milk were analysed. The results indicated that
during the past three years occurrence of betalactum antibiotic was found i
n 0.07% of the total collected samples, and inhibitory substances in 1.9% o
f the total tested milk. The percentage of delivered milk with a total bact
eria count below 100x10(3) c.f.u./cm(3) is from 75% to 84%, and about 97% o
f the total collected samples are below 400x10(3) c.f.u./cm(3). It was also
found that the percentage of milk with the number of somatic cells below 4
00x10(3) in 1 cm(3) during 1998 and 1999 was about 63%. The following year
of research work showed a significant improvement of the cytological qualit
y of milk, which was a result of the fact that the percentage of milk sampl
es with a somatic cell number below 400x10(3) in 1 cm(3) rose to 80%.