Abstract
The study was conducted in Meta District of Eastern Hararge Zone Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia with the objective to assess milk production and marketing, and to determine chemical composition and microbial quality of raw cow milk. Three Rural Kebeles (RK) namely, Biftu Ganama, Oda Chafe and Waligalte Bali’na were purposively selected based on dairy production potential and accessibility. A total of 132 respondents were randomly selected from farmers (122), consumers (6) and milk collection centers (4). Interview was made using semi-structured questionnaire to collect data on milk production, constraints, marketing, milk handling practices and utensils used as milk container. The result of the study indicated that, average daily milk production, milk for marketing and consumption were 1.96±0.517 litters/day/cow, 68.9% and 31.1%, respectively. Majority of the respondents ranked feed shortage as the first constraint. Hand milking after calf suckling was practiced by all the farmers. Most of the respondents (56.6%) used a gourd container locally called “qabe” for milking, and plastic jerry can (81.96%) for milk delivery to milk collection centers. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) figures were recorded for fat, protein, total solids, solids-not-fat and lactose contents at producers level than the consumers and collection centers. Total bacterial count (TBC), coliform count (CC) and yeast and mould count (YMC) of milk samples from milk collection centers were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than milk samples from consumers and producers and did not meet quality standards set by Quality Standard Authority of Ethiopia. Therefore, we can concluded that the chemical composition of milk was satisfactory compared to the standard level, whereas the microbial quality of the milk was poor that suggests the need for better sanitary practices of milking environment and milk utensils.
Highlights
Dairy plays an important role in the Ethiopian agricultural sector and the national economy (Azage et al, 2013)
Grazing crop aftermath and hay was ranked as the second sources of feed for cattle followed by cultivated improved forage
This result is in agreement with the result of Derese (2008), who reported daily milk yield of local cows in urban and peri-urban farms of west Shoa Zone as 2.0 and 1.61 liters of milk, respectively. This result is comparable with that of Alganesh (2002) who reported 1.8 liters/cow/day for Horro cattle in eastern Wollega. It is slightly higher than milk yield reported by Zelalem & Ledin (2001) for local cows in the central highland of Ethiopia (1.59 liters/day/cow)
Summary
Dairy plays an important role in the Ethiopian agricultural sector and the national economy (Azage et al, 2013). The sector is a source of livelihoods for a vast majority of the rural population in terms of consumption, income generation and employment. The same source further indicated that 2.8 billion liters of milk was produced in 2012-13, out of which 42.3% was used for household consumption. The majority of milking cows are indigenous animals which have low production performance with the average age at first calving of 53 months and average calving interval of 25 months. Cows had three to four calves before leaving the herd at 11-13years of age; the average cow lactation milk yield is 524 liters for 239 days of which 238 liters off take for human use while 286 liters is suckled by the calf. Usually by women, who use the regular cash income to buy household necessities or to save for festival occasions (Belete, 2006)
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