Dairy Cattle Production, Processing and Handling of Milk and Milk Products in Enemay District, East Gojjam, Amhara, Ethiopia

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess dairy cattle production systems, processing and handling systems of cow milk and milk products in the highlands of Ethiopia. The study was conducted from 2017 to 2018 in Enemay district, Amhara, Ethiopia. The sample kebeles and household for the study were selected based on stratification and purposive sampling techniques. Three rural and two urban and pre urban kebeles were selected. From each kebele 30 households (total of 150 households) were selected randomly from those have at least two lactating cows. Dairy cooperatives and private farms were included during the study. Descriptive statistics was employed for data analysis using Statistical Procedures for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Dairy cattle production systems that identified in the study areas were rural smallholder or mixed crop-livestock production which accounts 98% and the rest 2% were urban and pre urban system. Out of the total milk produced per households per day 0.42±1.8 liters was used for traditional milk processing. The study also revealed that 40.2% of the respondents were process milk into different milk products. The three most prioritized milk and milk products in the area were butter, ghee and whole milk with their ascending ranking order. The finding revealed that most of respondents (89.4 %) did not use udder washing before milking. The majority of the respondents were practiced washing of their hands (73.6%) and milk utensils (90.6%) before milking. There should be training for farmers and dairy cooperatives about milking hygienic practices, feeding and health care managements for their dairy cattle animals. The study is also recommend that improved and appropriate milk processing technologies like churner and cram separator should be accessible in place to improve milk processing for sustainable dairy production.