Both sampling seasonality and geographic origin contribute significantly to variations in raw milk microbiota, but sampling seasonality is the more determining factor

The current work was an observational study aiming to profile the microbiota of raw milk collected across wide geographic regions in China in different seasons and to investigate the contribution of geographical, seasonal, and environmental factors in shaping the raw milk microbiota. A total of 355 raw cow milk samples from healthy Holsteins and 41 environmental samples (farm soil and surface of milking room floor) from five dairy farms in five Chinese provinces were collected and analyzed.