Quality of cow’s milk as a raw material in the dairy industry from the Pelagonian region in North Macedonia

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This scientific work provides a comparison and analysis of the quality and hygiene requirements of raw cow’s milk obtained from individual producers of large and small farms in three regions of Pelagonia in accordance with the Rulebook on requirements for quality, safety and hygiene of milk. The examinations include analysis of the parameters of the chemical composition, determination of the number of somatic cells and total number of bacteria from milk samples taken throughout the year from small and large farms. The best results (p<0.05) for the protein content are observed in the milk coming from small and large farms from the Southern part of the Pelagonia region, compared to the Northern part of the Pelagonia region and Prilep region. The amount of dry fat-free matter in the milk from small farms in all three regions did not show a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). The results for the lactose content of milk from all three examined regions are within the limits of the Rulebook for raw milk. A significant difference (p<0.01) was found for the content of somatic cells in small farms. It is noteworthy that small farms deviate significantly from the safety and hygiene requirements outlined in the Rulebook, primarily due to the hygiene practices concerning dairy cows. The results obtained will be valuable for the dairy industry, as they will identify weaknesses among domestic producers. Professional services will implement measures and activities to help farmers meet EU standards in milk production. Additionally, these findings will provide a significant basis for establishing strategies in this agricultural sector.