Milk Handling, Processing Practices and Quality Evaluation

The study was conducted in Abuna Gindeberet district, west Shewa zone of Oromia region to evaluate milk handling, processing practices and physiochemical and microbial quality. Six PAs were purposively selected in proportion to the size of PAs, dairy cattle potential and accessibility from highland, midland and lowland agro-ecologies. Households who owned at least one lactating dairy cow and producing milk and milk products during the study period were the targeted population. A total of ۱۵۵ smallholder dairy producers were randomly selected based on proportional from each PAs and interviewed individually using semi-structured questionnaire. For milk quality evaluation, ۳۰ samples of raw cow milk were collected from producers during milking and transported to laboratory. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version ۲۴.۰. The result showed that hand milking was entirely the milking system practiced in the study area. In the area, ۸۸%, ۱۰% and ۲% of the respondent have experience of using “Okole” in Afan Oromo made from woven grass, plastic buckets and metal bucket for milking, respectively. Whereas Clay Pot “Buchuma” in Afan Oromo (۵۱.۶%), Calabash/Gourd “Qabee Aannanii” in Afan Oromo (۳۴.۲%) and Plastic (۱۴.۲%), were the major utensils used for milk storage. The overall mean (±SD) of raw cow’s milk for moisture, fat, SNF, Lactose, protein, ash and total solid were ۸۶.۰۴±۱.۱۰, ۴.۱۹±۰.۷۰, ۹.۷۷±۰.۵۸, ۵.۳۹±۰.۳۱, ۳.۵۳±۰.۲۶, ۰.۷۸±۰.۰۹ and ۱۳.۹۶±۱.۱۰, respectively. The results differ significantly (p>۰.۰۵) among the three agro-ecologies. Alcohol test result indicated that of the total samples, ۶۰%, ۲۳.۳% and ۱۶.۷% were normal milk, curd forming milk and slightly precipitated milk and the results did not differ(p>۰.۰۵) among the three agro-ecologies. The overall mean (±SD) of total bacteria count (TBC), Coliform Count (CC), and Yeast & Mold of sampled raw milk were ۵.۹۹±۰.۳۵log۱۰cfu/ml, ۸.۱۳±۰.۳۱log۱۰cfu/ml, ۷.۲۴±۰.۲۱log۱۰cfu/ml, respectively. The results did not differ (p>۰.۰۵) among the three agro-ecologies. Based on the result of the present study, it is evident that poor milk handling and processing practices undertaken in the study area that need urgent intervention by concerned stakeholders. Furthermore, it is recommended to conduct research in multidisciplinary and controlled experiments.The study was conducted in Abuna Gindeberet district, west Shewa zone of Oromia region to evaluate milk handling, processing practices and physiochemical and microbial quality. Six PAs were purposively selected in proportion to the size of PAs, dairy cattle potential and accessibility from highland, midland and lowland agro-ecologies. Households who owned at least one lactating dairy cow and producing milk and milk products during the study period were the targeted population. A total of ۱۵۵ smallholder dairy producers were randomly selected based on proportional from each PAs and interviewed individually using semi-structured questionnaire. For milk quality evaluation, ۳۰ samples of raw cow milk were collected from producers during milking and transported to laboratory. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version ۲۴.۰. The result showed that hand milking was entirely the milking system practiced in the study area. In the area, ۸۸%, ۱۰% and ۲% of the respondent have experience of using “Okole” in Afan Oromo made from woven grass, plastic buckets and metal bucket for milking, respectively. Whereas Clay Pot “Buchuma” in Afan Oromo (۵۱.۶%), Calabash/Gourd “Qabee Aannanii” in Afan Oromo (۳۴.۲%) and Plastic (۱۴.۲%), were the major utensils used for milk storage. The overall mean (±SD) of raw cow’s milk for moisture, fat, SNF, Lactose, protein, ash and total solid were ۸۶.۰۴±۱.۱۰, ۴.۱۹±۰.۷۰, ۹.۷۷±۰.۵۸, ۵.۳۹±۰.۳۱, ۳.۵۳±۰.۲۶, ۰.۷۸±۰.۰۹ and ۱۳.۹۶±۱.۱۰, respectively. The results differ significantly (p>۰.۰۵) among the three agro-ecologies. Alcohol test result indicated that of the total samples, ۶۰%, ۲۳.۳% and ۱۶.۷% were normal milk, curd forming milk and slightly precipitated milk and the results did not differ(p>۰.۰۵) among the three agro-ecologies. The overall mean (±SD) of total bacteria count (TBC), Coliform Count (CC), and Yeast & Mold of sampled raw milk were ۵.۹۹±۰.۳۵log۱۰cfu/ml, ۸.۱۳±۰.۳۱log۱۰cfu/ml, ۷.۲۴±۰.۲۱log۱۰cfu/ml, respectively. The results did not differ (p>۰.۰۵) among the three agro-ecologies. Based on the result of the present study, it is evident that poor milk handling and processing practices undertaken in the study area that need urgent intervention by concerned stakeholders. Furthermore, it is recommended to conduct research in multidisciplinary and controlled experiments.

کلیدواژه ها:

Milk Quality ، Milk Microbiology ، Milk Physicochemical ، Gindeberet ، Ethiopia