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"Because it is so much more expensive and tedious to do so, actual pathogens are virtually never tested for." Every three months the milk is tested for pathogens e.g. Salmonella, Listeria, and E.Coli. None have been found since testing began in December 2004.
"General coliforms indicate that the water has come in contact with plant or animal life. General coliforms are universally present, including in pristine spring water. They are of little concern at low levels, except to indicate the effectiveness of disinfection. Chlorinated water and water from perfectly sealed tube wells is the only water I've tested which had zero general coliforms." The Grade 'A' Raw Dairy requirements is less than 10, the latest test 29 November 05 showed less than one general coliforms. Airline coffee often exceeds 150 general coliforms and it doesn't taste that good. "At very high levels they indicate there is what amounts to a lot of compost in the water, which could easily include pathogens (Ten thousand general coliform bacteria will get you a beach closure, compared to two or four hundred fecal coliforms, or fifty enterococcus).""Fecal coliforms, particularly E.coli, indicate that there are mammal or bird feces in the water." Before issuing our permit the well water had to be tested. The water is better than bottled water. When we bought the property we had only meat goats and never thought about the water quality.
"Enterococcus bacteria also indicate that there are feces from warm blooded animals in the water." This is where soap and water washing of the nanny's teats, then drying them off before attaching the milking cups is important. After milking an antibiotic teat dip is used to protect the orifice from contaminants. Enterococcus are a type of fecal streptococci. They are another valuable indicator for determining the amount of fecal contamination of water."
"According to studies conducted by the EPA, enterococci have a greater correlation with swimming-associated gastrointestinal illness in both marine and fresh waters than other bacterial indicator organisms, and are less likely to "die off" in saltwater".
"The more closely related the animal, the more likely pathogens excreted with their feces can infect us."
"Human feces are the biggest concern, because anything which infects one human could infect another. There isn't currently a quantitative method for measuring specifically human fecal bacteria (expensive genetic studies can give a presence/absence result)."
"Ingesting a human stranger's feces via contaminated water supply is a classic means for infections to spread rapidly. The more pathogens an individual carries, the more hazardous their feces. Ingesting feces from someone who is not carrying any pathogens may gross you out, but it can't infect you. Infection rates are around 5% in the US, and approach 100% in areas with poor hygiene and contaminated water supplies."
More than you ever wanted to know about General Coliforms, E.Coli, and Enterococcus bacteria but since raw milk has not been available for the last 95 years our ignorance is understandable.