ASSESSMENT OF TARDITIONAL BUTTER PRODUCTION PRACTICES AND EVALUATION OF ITS QUALITY IN KECHI DISTRICT, DAWURO ZONE ETHIOPIA

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.