Abstract:
The aim of the study was to assess traditional butter production practices and quality
evaluation in Kechi district of Dawuro zone Ethiopia. To select the study Kebeles
(lowland, midland and highland), respondents, and butter samples, multi-stage sampling
techniques were used. Therefore, the present study was aimed to assess cow butte
production handling, processing, and evaluation of its chemical and sensory property in
Kechi district of Dawuro zone, Ethiopia. The study employed multi-stage sampling
techniques in three agro-ecology zones. The totals of 138 respondents who own at least
one lactating cow were randomly selected. For the quality analysis, butter samples were
collected from 18 respondents owning either of indigenous, cows. The collected butter
samples were kept in a clean candy plastic container, and placed at room temperature till
it carried to quality analysis at Arba-Minch University dairy laboratory. The results of
the study found that Zinbano’’ was predominantly used plants for cleaning followed by
“Koseret”, “Dunke” and “Shasha”.For equipment of milk and milk products storage and
processing, For milking material clay pot (48.12%) was mainly used followed by stainless
steel (30.83%), and plastic material (21.05%). For fermented milk storage, plastic
material (37.59%), gourd (36.09%), and clay pot (26.32%) were used in their order of
importance. For churning purpose, plastic material (61.65%), gourd (23.31%), and clay
pot (15.04%) were used. For butter storage, clay pot (73.69%) was mainly used followed
by plastic material (21.80%), and stainless steel (4.51%).Producers were aimed at
processing milk mainly to generate better income followed by, to increase shelf life, and
to diversify the product. The mean fat percentage (81.92 ± 1.7), moisture (12.70 ± 0.48),
pH (4.88 ± 0.46), and Ash content (0.23 ± 0.03) of fresh butter from the high lands were
significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of the low lands. Similarly, the salt content of
butter was not varied (P > 0.05) among agro-ecologies. The flavor (2.51± 0.257), texture
(2.7 ± 0.303), aroma (2.51 ± 0.23), and color (2.76 ± 0.342) of fresh butter from the three
agro-ecology were significantly preferred (P < 0.05). But, there was no significant
difference (P > 0.05) for the preference of the panelists for the color of butter between the
agro-ecologies. Butter in the study area processed manually using local materials and
churning material However, as the present study observed there had opportunity and option to
explore by understanding the existing production to sustainable intensification of butter
production particularly in evaluating quality and production management in the study area.
