Milk yield performance of local cows, handling practices, physicochemical properties, and milk production constraints in Kucha district, Southern Ethiopia

The study assessed milk production performance of local cows, milk handling practices, physicochemical properties, and milk production constraints in Kucha District, Southern Ethiopia. A purposive and random sampling technique was employed to select 138 respondents for the interview. For physicochemical property assessment, milk samples were collected from 90 interviewed households. Majorities (76.7%) of the respondents were males, and the average family size was 6.82±0.25. Mean daily milk yield (DMY) of 1.80±0.07, 1.94±0.06, and 1.52±0.09 liters was recorded for local cows, respectively, in early, mid, and late lactation stages. All respondents in the area use hand milking and wash their hands before milking. Milking was mainly the responsibility of Women (68.9%). Most (94.9%) respondents store milk for one day using clay and plastic jars. The overall average fat, solid not fat (SNF), protein, lactose, density (g/mL), and pH were recorded as 4.54±0.13, 8.15±0.22, 3.33±0.07, 4.65±0.12, 1.03±0.00, and 5.70±0.11, respectively. Feed and land shortage, low milk yield of local cows, disease, water shortage, and lack of credit were the prominent constraints of dairy farming in the area. Awareness on hygienic milk production, handling, and improved cattle management practices should be created among the smallholder dairy farmers in the study area.