Assessment of raw milk quality in smallholder dairy farms in Mwanza City, Tanzania

Edwin Peter Chang'a; Godfrey Lucas Chasama; Daniel Pius Mdetele; Heriel Fanuel Massawe

doi:10.31893/avr.2024019

Keywords:

Abstract

Milk quality is determined by the hygienic standards, nutritional quality and health status of the lactating animal. However, animal husbandry practices, unhygienic milking procedures and practices may affect its quality and safety. A cross-sectional study using questionnaires was conducted to determine the socioeconomic characteristics of the participating farmers, milking practices, adulteration rates, and prevalence rates of mastitis and brucellosis in the Mwanza Municipality. Additionally, a lactometer, the California mastitis test (CMT) and the milk ring test (MRT) were used to establish the status of milk quality. Socioeconomic data revealed that livestock was the major source of income and protein for 17.2% and 32.8% of the households, respectively. The main purposes of keeping cattle were income generation (37.5%), milk for household use (36.7%), and manure (21.1%) for crop farming. The breeds of cows used for milk production were mostly Friesian crosses (58.3%). A total of 50% of the cattle houses were roofed, and 45.3% were built with concrete floors, with 62.5% having well-built feeders and 56.3% having well-built drinkers. During milking, cleaning towels, teat dips, and aluminum containers were used by 43.8%, 3.23% and 7.81% of the households, respectively. Approximately 29.7% of the milk samples obtained were tainted, whereas 55.5% and 3.1% of the samples tested positive for CMT and MRT, respectively. The prevalence rates of clinical and subclinical mastitis at the cow and quarter levels were 5.1%, 20.7%, 55.5% and 10.1%, respectively. Laboratory analysis revealed that Coliform spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Proteus spp. colonies dominated the samples that tested positive for CMT. The corresponding rates were 40.6%, 17.2% and 11.8%, respectively. The study revealed the need to increase farmers’ capacity for hygienic milk production and enforce guidelines for quality milk production in the area.
References
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Chang’a, E. P., Chasama, G. L., Mdetele, D. P., & Massawe, H. F. (2025). Assessment of raw milk quality in smallholder dairy farms in Mwanza City, Tanzania. Applied Veterinary Research, 3(4), 2024019. https://doi.org/10.31893/avr.2024019

[1] Adesina, K., Oshodi, A. A., Awoniyi, T. A. M., Ajayi, O. O. (2011). Microbial assessment of cow milk under traditional management practices in Ado-Ekiti Nigeria. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition, 10(7), 690-693. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjn.2011.690.693.

[2] Adesogan, T. A., Dahl, G. E. (2020). MILK symposium introduction: dairy production in developing countries. Journal of Dairy Science, 103(11), 9677-9680. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-18313.

[3] Al-Afifi, A. H., Almashhadany, D. A., Al-Azazi, A. S. H., Khalaf, A. M., Odhah, M. N. A., Al-Gabri, N. A. (2022). Prevalence of Brucella spp. in milk from aborted and non-aborted animals in Dhamar governorate, Yemen. Italian Journal of Food Safety, 11, 10370. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijfs.2022.10370.

[4] Béjaoui, A., Ben, A. I, Maaroufi, A. (2022). Brucella spp. Contamination in Artisanal Unpasteurized Dairy Products: An Emerging Foodborne Threat in Tunisia. Foods. 11, 2269. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152269.

[5] Chasama, G. L., Massawe, H. F. (2022). Agro-pastoral Dairy Chains and Prospects for Expanding Milk Processing in Tanzania: A case of Misungwi District. European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 4(5), 43-47. http://dx.doi.org/10.24018/ejfood.2022.4.5.559.

[6] Chasama, G. L., Tungu, G. B, Sonda, G. B., Makungu, M. (2018). Improving agricultural labor efficiency through oxenization and its impact on food security in Ukerewe, Tanzania. Tanzania Veterinary Journal, 33(2), 56-62.

[7] Demelash, B., Etana, D., Fekadu, B. (2005). Prevalence and risk factors of mastitis in lactating dairy cows in southern Ethiopia. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 3(3),189-198.

[8] Dror, D. K., Allen, L. H. (2011). The importance of milk and other animal-source foods for children in low-income countries. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 32(3), 227-243. https://doi.org/10.1177/156482651103200307

[9] Duguma, B. (2020). A survey of management practices and major diseases of dairy cattle in smallholdings in selected towns of Jimma zone, south-western Ethiopia. Animal Production Science, 60, 1838–1849.

[10] FAO. (2021). OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030 OECD Publishing, Paris, http://doi.org/10.1787/19428846-en.

[11] Fathi, S., Asmaa, S. M, Magdy, S. H. E. (2019). Coliforms Contamination in Raw Milk and Some Dairy Products with a Special Reference to Comparative of Enterobacter spp. Zagazig Veterinary Journal, 47(4), 388-397. https://dx.doi.org/10.21608/zvjz.2019.14730.1059.

[12] Gillah, K. A., Kifaro, G. C., Madsen, J. (2012). Urban and peri-urban dairy farming in East Africa: a review on production levels, constraints and opportunities. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 24, 198. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd24/11/gill24198.htm. Accessed on February 13, 2025.

[13] Gleeson, D., Flynn. J., Brien, B. (2018). Effect of pre-milking teat disinfection on new mastitis infection rates of dairy cows. Irish Veterinary Journal, 71(11), 1-8. http://doi.org/10.1186/s13620-018-0122-4.

[14] Massawe, H. F., Mdegela, R. H., Kurwijila, L. R. (2018). Association of smallholder dairy farmers management and milking practices with bacterial quality of milk in Mbeya, Tanzania. Animal Health and Production, 66(1), 51-65.

[15] International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR). 2013. Moving herds moving markets: Making Markets Work for African Pastoralists. IIRR, Nairobi, Kenya 186pp.

[16] http://www.iirr.org/images/uploads/Moving_herds_d7.6_web.pdf. Accessed on January 28, 2025.

[17] Jayarao, B. M., Pillai, S. R., Sawant, A. A., Wolfgang, D. R., Hedge, N. V. (2004). Guidelines for Monitoring bulk tank milk somatic cell counts. Journal of Dairy Science, 87, 3561-3573. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(04)73493-1.

[18] Kitila, G., Kebede, B., Wakgari, M. (2021). Prevalence, aetiology and risk factors of mastitis of dairy cows kept under extensive management system in west Wollega, western Oromia, Ethiopia. Veterinary Medicine Science, 7, 1593–1599. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.503.

[19] Kurwijila, L., Lore, T., Omore, A. (2005). Technologies for enhancing value addition, quality and safety of milk produced by smallholder farmers in Africa. In: The role of biotechnology in animal agriculture to address poverty in Africa: opportunities and challenges (Edited by J. E. O., Rege, A. M., Nyamu and D. Sendalo) AASAP/TSAP 20–24 September 2005 Arusha, Tanzania. pp 455-464. https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/5552/technology_policy_gap.pdf?sequence=2. Accessed on January 28, 2025.

[20] Larson-Hall, J. (2015). A guide to doing statistics in second language research using SPSS and R. Routledge.

[21] Matthewman, R. W. (2007). Dairying. The Tropical Agriculturalist. Macmillan Publishers Ltd, Oxford 152 pp. Matthewman RW (2007) Dairying. The Tropical Agriculturalist. Macmillan Publishers Ltd, Oxford. https://www.amazon.com/Dairying-Tropical-Agriculturalist-Anthony-Smith/dp/033352313X. Accessed on January 28, 2025.

[22] Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF) 2020. Budget speech for the financial year2020/21. United Republic of Tanzania. http://www.mifugo.go.tz. Accessed on January 26, 2025.

[23] Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries (MLF) 2017. Tanzania livestock sector analysis. United Republic of Tanzania 2017. http://www.mifugo.go.tz. Accessed on January 26, 2025.

[24] Odada, E., Olago, D. O., Ochola, W. O., Madadi, V. O, Kirimire, B. T. (2006). Environment for Development: An Ecosystems Assessment of Lake Victoria Basin Environmental and Socio-economic Status, Trends and Human Vulnerabilities. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/36057. Accessed on January, 26, 2025.

[25] Omore, A., Staal, S. J., Osafo, E. L. K., Kurwijila, L. R., Barton, D., Mdoe, N., Nurah, G., Aning, G. (2004). Market mechanisms, efficiency, processing and public health risks in peri-urban dairy product markets: Synthesis of findings from Ghana and Tanzania. ILRI, Nairobi, Kenya. https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/53147/Gh-Tz_Mar2004_Final.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed on January 25, 2025.

[26] Pasape, L. (2022). A Review of Success Factors Behind Community Action Research Program (CARP): A Case of Experiences From Smallholder Dairy Farmers of Lushoto in Tanzania. Journal of Participatory Research Methods, 3(2), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.35844/001c.37544.

[27] Quinn, P. J., Carter, M. E., Markey, B. K., Carter, G. R. (2004). Clinical Veterinary Microbiology. Mosby Publishing, London. https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL2736060A/M._E._Carter. Accessed on January 25, 2025.

[28] Shafee, M., Rabbani, M., Sheikh, A. A., Ahmad, M. D., & Razzaq, A. (2011). Prevalence of bovine brucellosis in organized dairy farms, using milk ELISA, in quetta city, balochistan, pakistan. Veterinary medicine international, 2011, 358950. https://doi.org/10.4061/2011/358950.

[29] Tesfanesh, F. D., Habtamu, T. M., Marshet, A. M. (2018). Prevalence of mastitis and identification of its bacterial causative agents in small holder dairy farms in and around Wukro of Tigray region, Ethiopia. International Journal of Advanced Research in Biological Sciences, 5(11), 10-22.

[30] United Republic of Tanzania (2007). Dairy Industry (Registration of Dairy Industry Stakeholders) Regulations, http://trade.tanzania.go/tz. Accessed on September 19, 2024.

[31] United Republic of Tanzania (URT). (2022). Livestock Sector Transformation Plan. https://www.mifugouvuvi.go.tz/. Accessed on September 19, 2024.

[32] United Republic of Tanzania (URT). (2017). Tanzania-livestock-sector-analysis. https://www.ilri.org/. Accessed on September 19, 2024.

[33] Yeserah, B., Tassew, A., & Mazengia, H. (2020). Handling Practices of Raw Cow’s Milk and Major Constraints of Clean Milk Production in and around Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. Advances in Dairy Research, 8, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.35248/2329-888X.20.8.2.234.

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References

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