Hygienic Quality of Raw Cow Milk Produced by Smallholder Dairy Farmers in BeniMellelarea in Morocco

This study was conducted to evaluate the hygienic quality of raw cow milk produced by smallholder dairy farmers and cooperatives (collecting centers) in BeniMellal area in Morocco. Hygienic quality of milk was determined by assessing the analysis of Total mesophilic aerobic flora or Total Bacterial Count,nbsp Total Coliforms Count, Fecal coliforms count and fungi (Yeast and Molds).nbsp The objective of this study was to evaluate the global milk quality in Moroccan dairy herds (hygienic and pathogenic parameters) and the perspectives on dairy development.For this, we evaluated the variations in the overall quality of raw milk: bacteriological and hygienic characterizations. Thus, samples of raw cow#39s milk produced in 50 farms and cooperatives were selected from different geographical areas in BeniMellal region. The investigation has concerned different cattle farms with different breeding procedures. Taken altogether, the samples analyzed show a moderate to high level of contamination of raw milk during the four seasons investigated exceeding generally the accepted limits. The most contaminated samples were found during the warm seasons: spring and autumn. However small but encouraging load levels percentage is evidenced reflecting an effort in hygienic procedures for the collection of raw milk and its storage in conditions respecting hygiene and temperature. Concerning the high level contamination, for classical causes classical results. Indeed, transportation, milking and pre-storage conditions as well as climate constitute the main factors for heavy bacterial and fungal contamination Taken together these variations reflect essentially differences in practical breeding and milk collecting procedures.nbs