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<i>Escherichia coli</i> O157:H7, <i>Salmonella</i> and <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> are common foodborne pathogens. We determined the prevalence of <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 and <i>Salmonella</i> in feces and milk and the prevalence of <i>S. aureus</i> in milk from dairy cattle and camels in the Borana pastoral community in the Southern Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Paired individual cow composite (pooled from all quarters in equal proportions) milk and fecal samples were collected from cows (<i>n</i> = 154) and camels (<i>n</i> = 158). Samples were cultured on bacterial isolation and identification media. <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 and <i>Salmonella</i> isolates were further tested for susceptibility against nine antimicrobial drugs. Different risk factors associated with hygienic milking practices were recorded and analyzed for their influence on the prevalence of these bacteria in milk and feces. The prevalence of <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 and <i>Salmonella</i> in feces were 3.9% and 8.4%, respectively, in cows, and 0.6% and 2.5%, respectively, in camels. <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 and <i>Salmonella</i> were detected in the composite milk samples of 2.6% and 3.9% of the cows, respectively, and 0% and 1.3% of the camels, respectively. <i>S. aureus</i> was detected in composite milk samples of 33.4% of the cows and 41.7% of the camels. All <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 (<i>n</i> = 11) and <i>Salmonella</i> (<i>n</i> = 25) isolates from both animal species and sample types were resistant to at least one antimicrobial drug. Multidrug resistance was observed in 70% (7/10) of the <i>E. coli</i> O157:H7 fecal and milk isolates from cows and 33.3% (2/6) of the <i>Salmonella</i> fecal and milk isolates from camels. The prevalence of these bacteria in feces and milk was not affected by risk factors associated with milking practices. Given the very close contact between herders and their animals and the limited availability of water for hand washing and udder cleaning, these bacteria are most likely present in all niches in the community. Improving community awareness of the need to boil milk before consumption is a realistic public health approach to reducing the risk of these bacteria.