HYGIENIC MILK PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, PRESERVATION AND MARKETING SYSTEMS IN BENSA DISTRICT OF SIDAMA ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted to analyse the hygienic practices of milk production, processing, preservation and marketing systems at Bensa district of Sidama zone. The study had two components notably household survey and laboratory analysis. A total of four kebeles, three from rural and one from urban were taken to randomly select 120 households within milking cows keeping households in the district. The result shows that farmers practice fencing own farmlands and grazing pasture as main feed resources for their cattle, notably during dry seasons. Hand milking is practiced by all farm households, as women’s responsibility. The major milk products produced in the study area were Ergo (Ethiopian naturally fermented milk), traditional butter (Kibe), traditional ghee (NeterKibe) and sour defatted milk (Arrera) as home products and/or products as income sources mainly for women. With regards to microbial quality of raw cow milk produced in the study area, the mean total bacterial count with 7.37log10 cfu/ml and the mean of coli form count observed with 4.74±0.87 log10 cfu/ml shows high levels of contaminations. The improper conditions of milking, unclean milk handling equipment and the use of contaminated cleaning water were among the important determinant factors, which contributed for high levels of microorganisms in milk. The common milk utensils used by farmers were clay pots followed by plastic bowl/jar, and also calabash/kile. The most consumed milk products were butter milk/areera, which is followed by raw milk without any treatment, and also ergo/fermented milk, butter/niterkibe. According to the report of farm households, the shelf life of raw milk was found to be 6.31±0.13hours, ergo (yoghurt) 14.95±0.51hours, areera (buttermilk) 10.52±0.4hours, butter 5.83±0.22months and ghee 15.68±0.41months.Milk and milk product that are mainly sold to consumers, retailers and traders; which is not market oriented. The existing opportunities for developing the milk value chain in the study area are; availability of suitable agro-ecology for dairy cow production, growing of different crops and forages, change of awareness’ of societies for milk and milk product market, this realized the potentiality of the area for milk production, the Availability of huge market potential for fluid milk is other opportunity. There for coordinated effort is required to address the constraints of dairy producers in the study area need be aware about the importance of hygienic milk production and hygienic milk handling practices.