A total of 222 udder-half milk samples of lactating goats were collected from two herds in Korea during 2008 and all samples were subjected to bacteriological examination. Somatic cell counts (SCC) were also determined for all samples except for 13 (5.9%), which were collected from halves of udders with clinical mastitis. A total of 85 bacteria were isolated from 82 (36.9%) of 222 milk samples tested. Staphylococci were the predominant pathogens, accounting for almost 70% of the isolates: Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) and S. aureus constituted 55% (47/85) and 14.1% (12/85), respectively. Among 209 samples tested for SCC, bacteria were isolated from 36 of 115 (31.3%) samples with SCC of <1×106 cells/㎖ and 38 of 94 (40.4%) samples that had SCC of ≥1×106 cells/㎖, respectively. All S. aureus were detected from samples with SCC of ≥1×106 cells/㎖, while 25 of 47 (61.0%) CNS were isolated from milk samples with SCC of <1×106 cells/㎖. Mean SCC of milk samples that harbored S. aureus and CNS was 4,787×103 cells/㎖ and >1×106 cells/㎖, respectively. All S. aureus and CNS isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested except for penicillin, to which 2 (16.6%) S. aureus and 12 (25.5%) CNS isolates showed resistance.

• 남향미(국립수의과학검역원) | Hyang-Mi Nam (National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service) Correspondence
• 임숙경(국립수의과학검역원) | Suk-Kyung Lim (National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service)
• 김종만(국립수의과학검역원) | Jong-Man Kim (National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service)
• 장금찬(국립수의과학검역원) | Geum-Chan Jang (National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service)
• 정석찬(국립수의과학검역원) | Suk-Chan Jung (National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service)
• 위성환(국립수의과학검역원) | Sung-Hwan Wee (National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service)
• 한홍율(서울대학교 수의과대학) | Hong-Ryul Han (College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University)
• 이청산(충북가축위생시험소) | Cheong-San Lee (Institute of Livestock and Veterinary Research)