Abstract
A study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the physicochemical properties and microbial qualities of raw cow’s milk along the milk supply chain in Haramaya district. A total of 123 smallholder dairy producers, one dairy cooperative, 3 milk collectors, 6 milk retailers, 8 selling points and 18 consumers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Sixty raw milk samples were used for physicochemical and microbiological analysis. Random sampling method was used to collect samples from producers and purposive sampling method was used to collect samples from other sampling sources. The overall mean values for temperature, pH, specific gravity and titratable acidity of marketed milk in the study area were 24.07°C, 6.32, 1.03, and 0.20, respectively, while the overall mean value of fat, protein, total solids, solids-not-fat, and lactose contents were 4.50, 3.24, 12.78, 8.28, and 4.27%, respectively. Significant differences (P<0.05) were found between the sources of milk samples on all measured parameters of chemical composition except fat content. The overall mean total bacterial, coliform, and yeast and mould counts were 5.48, 4.96 and 4.90 log cfu/ml, respectively. In conclusion, the result of this study indicated that milk samples collected from all sampling points were subjected to microbial contamination and did not meet quality standards set by Quality Standard Authority of Ethiopia. It is, therefore, recommended that awareness should be created among stakeholders involved in milk production and handling practices on method of quality milk production and marketing in the study areas. Key words: Raw milk, milk value chain, physicochemical properties, microbial quality.
Highlights
Cattle are the main source of milk (95%) in Ethiopia (CSA, 2010)
The Ethiopian per capital milk consumption was much lower (17 kg) compared to that of African average which was about 62.5 kg recommended as a minimum level to satisfy the need for a balanced diet and the world’s per capital average which was about 100 L/year (FAO, 2010)
These small proportions of existing dairy cooperatives were operating in areas that are accessible to transportation and market
Summary
Cattle are the main source of milk (95%) in Ethiopia (CSA, 2010) It is an economically important farm commodity and investment option for smallholder farmers in the country (Zelalem et al, 2011). These small proportions of existing dairy cooperatives were operating in areas that are accessible to transportation and market. This has resulted in the inability of substantial amount of milk to rarely reached the market in demand of the commodity (Zelalem, 2012)
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