‘Boil It or Risk It': Unpasteurised Milk Linked to Rabies & TB, Warns Vet Expert From Gadvasu.

Time of India

22-06-2025

Ludhiana: Drinking raw or unboiled milk could expose consumers to serious, even fatal diseases such as rabies, tuberculosis (TB) and brucellosis, a veterinary expert from Punjab has warned, amid growing concerns about zoonotic infections in India's dairy supply.
Dr Randhir Singh, assistant professor of veterinary medicine at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) in Ludhiana, cautioned that pathogens from infected animals often go undetected until symptoms surface — by which time, the damage may be irreversible.
"Milk from livestock infected with Brucella or Mycobacterium tuberculosis can carry bacteria into the human body if not properly boiled or pasteurised," Dr Randhir Singh said, speaking at a livestock health awareness session.
"These diseases don't always show symptoms in animals right away. But the bacteria often circulate in their blood and are excreted through milk."
Rising Rabies Risk
The threat is compounded by the rising incidence of stray dog attacks on cattle, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. Dr Singh noted that a single bite from a rabid animal, including dogs, mongooses, or even rats, can infect a cow or buffalo.
"Rabies symptoms in cattle typically appear within 10 days, but in some cases, the virus can remain dormant for up to a year," he said.
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"During this asymptomatic window, the infected animal may look healthy and continue producing milk — which enters the human supply chain."
Rabies, he stressed, is invariably fatal once symptoms manifest. Meanwhile, brucellosis can cause fever, chronic fatigue, joint pain, and even infertility in humans, while TB — already a major public health concern in India — is transmissible through raw milk from infected cattle.
Preventive Measures Urged
Dr Randhir Singh urged dairy farmers to adopt strict biosecurity protocols, including:-
Routine animal vaccination
Hygienic milking practices
Regular veterinary screening
"Preventing infection is always more effective than treating it later," he said. For consumers, the message is simple: boil your milk. "It's the most accessible way to neutralise bacteria and viruses," he said.
"Pasteurisation serves the same purpose on an industrial scale, but boiling at home is an easy and essential safeguard."
As the demand for organic and farm-fresh milk rises, experts warn that the risks of consuming untreated milk must be clearly communicated — especially in rural households and informal dairy networks where pasteurisation is not the norm.