A-Z of producing high and high quality milk

Dear Dr Othieno,

I ventured into dairy farming recently, things have been good until a few days ago when my clients started complaining about the quality of my milk. I haven’t made any major changes in the farm, the diet for the cows is the same but I have a new farmhand, what could be the cause of this problem?

Concerned farmer

Kakamega

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Dear concerned farmer,

Milk is not only a perishable commodity but also sensitive in nature. It is for this reason that farmers need to be informed on how to handle milk to ensure it reaches the market when it is still fresh and in its original smell and taste. Milk has the ability to pick any smell in its environment which then alters its original smell.

Milk tends to promote bacterial growth which is the main reason why it spoils fast if not taken care of well. Here are a few things you should be keen on.

Cleanliness

Milk is a sterile product at its point of expression from the udder of a healthy animal. This means production of clean milk is a process. Clean milk should, therefore, have no foreign bodies be of the right density, free from antibiotics, bacteria and have the right Ph. Clean milk production starts with feeding the animal on the right feeds and keeping the animal healthy. Keeping the environment clean and the person milking too should be clean.

Of flavours and bad smell

Off flavours or unclean milk results from internal or external sources. Internal sources include type of feed given to the animal. Feeds with strong flavours will transfer the smell to milk. Sick animals too will produce already contaminated milk. Cows suffering from mastitis, for example, will produce milk with blood clots and with lots of bacteria. Cows suffering from ketosis will produce milk that has a cowy flavour.

If milk is left open in an environment where there are other foods with strong smells, the milk will easily pick the smell. Onions and silage are good examples. This also applies to other farm chemicals like pesticides which many farmers store near milking pens. Milk will also pick strong odours from the person milking. 

What to do

You must always work with your veterinary doctor to ensure your animals are healthy at all times and fed well. The animal being milked must also be kept in a clean environment. Farm chemicals with a strong smell must be kept away from where milking is done and milk should also be kept far from foods with strong smells. Always keep the milk container covered.

 Milk should be milked directly into and transported in aluminum containers. Also, the person milking should be of high hygiene standards. 

Clean the udder before milking

Before milking, always ensure the udder is clean. There are also cases where farmers adulterate the milk knowingly by adding water or sweeteners to mask whatever flavour is in the milk. This is a malpractice that can result in the rejection of your milk. Remember most people get their protein supply from milk and milk products and therefore clean milk is a matter of public health concern.

[Dr Othieno was the winner of Vet of the Year Award 2016 and works with the Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council –KENTTEC, [email protected]]

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