ASSESSMENT OF MILK PRODUCTION PRACTICES AND MICROBIAL QUALITY OF COW MILK PRODUCED IN ALETAWONDO DISTRICT, SIDAMA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess milk production practices and to evaluate microbial quality of raw cows’ milk in Aleta wondo district of Sidama region, Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling procedure with combination of purposive and random sampling technique was employed for selecting the study area and sampled households. Systematic sampling method was used to select respondents from each selected kebele proportionally. The study was conducted by interviewing purposively selected 195 smallholder milk producers from five kebeles from two agro-ecologies (highland and midland) who owned local and crossbred cows. Milk samples were collected from 40 milk producers, small shops, cafes and consumers for microbial quality analysis. The overall average daily milk yield and lactation length for local dairy cows and crossbred dairy cows were 1.55±0.08 liter/day, 8.21±0.99 months and 6.67±0.17 liter/day, 9.31±0.04 months, respectively. The estimated average daily milk yield varied significantly (P<0.05) among the agro ecologies. The result indicated that majority of the respondents (91.3%) did not have cow barn and milking area, 60% of them clean their barn once and more than once a week. Moreover, milking without hand washing, absence of udder washing and failure to use towel to clean the udder were practiced by 34.4%, 52.3% and 73.3% of the respondents, respectively. Households used equipment for milking, transportation, storage and churning, clay pot, plastic, gourd and aluminum/stainless steel utensils to keep milk and milk products. The major source of water for cleaning purpose was tap, rivers ponds and well water. Majority of households 70.3% used cold water for washing milk handling equipment. Concerning microbial quality, overall average total bacterial counts (TBC), coliform counts (CC), yeast and mould (YMC) and Staphylococcus species(SC) values of milk from current finding were 5.699 ± 0.017, 4.689 ± 0.023 log10 cfu/ml,5.366±0.023 and 5.625 ± 0.027, respectively. The microbial load was higher (P<0.05) in different milk sources in the study area except staphylococcus species. In general, overall quality of milk produced as well as marketed in the study area was poor. These were justified from poor hygienic practices and high values of CC that were significantly higher than the acceptable limits set by Ethiopian Standards for unpasteurized milk. Therefore, adequate sanitary and control measures should be taken at all stages from production to consumer level to produce and supply wholesome milk.