On Farm Evaluation Cum Demonstration of Improved Milk Churner in Horo Guduru Wollega Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of improved plastic milk churner in relation to the local clay pot churner in Horo district. A total of thirty households were selected from three rural kebeles where milk processing for butter making has long tradition. The evaluation of both churners was carried out by using 7 liters of milk obtained from local and crossbreeds and with reference to the result obtained significantly higher quantity of butter (0.39 kg/7liter) at P>0.5 was obtained from improved churner than traditional clay pot (0.27kg/7liter). Furthermore, the traditional mechanism of butter processing took significantly longer churning time (70 minute on average) than improved churner (46 minute). In conclusion, improved churner was preferred to local one for its ability to yield better amount of butter, more butter making efficiency and shorter churning time it required. Using improved churner could also contribute for reducing gender disparity through participating men in milk churning process. Therefore, the technology ought to be promoted and extended to other small scale dairy producers outside the study area Keywords: Butter, Clay pot, Milk churner, Tradition DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/115-02 Publication date: May 31 st 2022