Revista de ecosistemas y ecografía

Abstracto

Abuse of Pharmaceutical Drugs-antibiotics in Dairy Cattle in Kosovo and Detection of their Residues in Milk

Zana Sulejmani, Agim Shehi, Zehra Hajrulai and Elida Mata

Introduction: Pharmaceutical drugs-antibiotics are given to livestock by veterinarians for the prevention and treatment of disease, but also as a stimulant for animal growth and conversion. Regardless of the way the drugs are inserted into the body of the animal, there will always be residual risk in milk which exceed the maximum level allowed. Thus, it can lead to health disorders in humans and in some cases even death.
Aim of study: The main aim of this study is to discover the use of pharmaceutical drugs – antibiotics in dairy cows and to detect betalactam and sulfonamide residues in milk.
Methods and materials used: During the period January to August 2011, were collected 127 milk samples from cows treated with pharmaceutical drugs – antibiotics. Samples were analysed in the Veterinary Institute in Skopje using “Elissa” screening method and “HPLC” confirmatory method.
Results: The study shows that of 127 samples of milk analysed, over 70% of them (64 were contaminated with betalactam residues and 24 with sulphonamide residues) contains residues of drugs, while over 20% of them (15 being beta-lactams and 4 sulphonamides) have passed the maximum residue limit allowed.
Conclusion: 70% of the drugs given to dairy cattle in Kosovo are pharmaceutical – antibiotics and their residues are present in milk. We conclude that pharmaceutical drugs – antibiotics that are used in humans should not be used in animals too and their provision should be limited to a reasonable and lawful level.