Milk Handling Practices, Processing Methods, and Microbial Quality

The study was conducted to assess handling, and processing methods and evaluates the microbial quality of milk under smallholder farmers in the Gindeberet district, West Shoa Zone, Oromia regional state. To generate data a semi-structured questionnaire was prepared and administered to which total of ۱۲۰ respondents, ۶۱ from midland and ۵۹ from lowland at least owing two milking cows. The microbial quality of milk test was done using ۳۰ milk samples (۱۵ from midland and ۱۵ from lowland) collected from dairy producers. The result revealed that almost all the respondents (۱۰۰%) in the study area practiced hand milking after calf suckling majorly performed by women. About ۷۱.۴% of respondents use woven grass (okolee) Utensils for milking and ۵۸.۸% for gourd for storage and ۷۹% for churning in the study area. In a present study, about ۷۵.۸ and ۸۵.۸% of milk wash their hands and equipment with warm water respectively, pre-milking to facilitate washing and kills microorganisms. The majority of them ۸۶.۷% not practiced udder and teat washing. Lantana trifolia (Kusaayee), shirfiggii, Quncee doobbii, Olea Africana (Ejersa), Ceekaa (juniperous procera) and Gaarrii” (syzyhuim guineense) are the most commonly used for cleaning and smoking the utensils. The Average microbial count of milk in the case of total bacteria, coliform counts, yeast, and mould counts were ۶.۹۴, ۵.۰,۳, and ۴.۹۰ log۱۰cf/ml, respectively. TBC, TCC, and YMC significantly differed (p<۰.۰۵) between the milk producers in both Agro ecologies. This means the result from the study is ۶.۹۴±۰.۱۶ total bacterial count which is greater than the minimum Ethiopian standard of ۲x۱۰۶(۲۰۰۹). Therefore, it is concluded that the majority of milk produced in the study area is poorly handled and processed, with low attention to keeping quality of milk and milk products. These suggest that a need for enriched milk handling and processing scheme in the study area and milk producers should be trained on keeping selfhygienic, washing the udder and teats of cows, and generally keeping the quality of the milk.The study was conducted to assess handling, and processing methods and evaluates the microbial quality of milk under smallholder farmers in the Gindeberet district, West Shoa Zone, Oromia regional state. To generate data a semi-structured questionnaire was prepared and administered to which total of ۱۲۰ respondents, ۶۱ from midland and ۵۹ from lowland at least owing two milking cows. The microbial quality of milk test was done using ۳۰ milk samples (۱۵ from midland and ۱۵ from lowland) collected from dairy producers. The result revealed that almost all the respondents (۱۰۰%) in the study area practiced hand milking after calf suckling majorly performed by women. About ۷۱.۴% of respondents use woven grass (okolee) Utensils for milking and ۵۸.۸% for gourd for storage and ۷۹% for churning in the study area. In a present study, about ۷۵.۸ and ۸۵.۸% of milk wash their hands and equipment with warm water respectively, pre-milking to facilitate washing and kills microorganisms. The majority of them ۸۶.۷% not practiced udder and teat washing. Lantana trifolia (Kusaayee), shirfiggii, Quncee doobbii, Olea Africana (Ejersa), Ceekaa (juniperous procera) and Gaarrii” (syzyhuim guineense) are the most commonly used for cleaning and smoking the utensils. The Average microbial count of milk in the case of total bacteria, coliform counts, yeast, and mould counts were ۶.۹۴, ۵.۰,۳, and ۴.۹۰ log۱۰cf/ml, respectively. TBC, TCC, and YMC significantly differed (p<۰.۰۵) between the milk producers in both Agro ecologies. This means the result from the study is ۶.۹۴±۰.۱۶ total bacterial count which is greater than the minimum Ethiopian standard of ۲x۱۰۶(۲۰۰۹). Therefore, it is concluded that the majority of milk produced in the study area is poorly handled and processed, with low attention to keeping quality of milk and milk products. These suggest that a need for enriched milk handling and processing scheme in the study area and milk producers should be trained on keeping selfhygienic, washing the udder and teats of cows, and generally keeping the quality of the milk.

Keywords:

Microbial quality , Milk , Gindeberet , Ethiopia