A study was carried out to establish the status of milk quality along the milk value chain (MVC) in Kilosa district. The study further assessed factors contributing to the reduced quality of milk along the MVC. This involved determination of microbial contamination (MC), adulteration, presence of antibiotic residues as well as the prevalence of subclinical mastitis. A total of 201 milk samples were collected from pastoral and agro-pastoral households, milk vending and selling points as well as from packed milk between October 2012 and May 2013. The MC was assessed by Total Bacterial counts and contamination with Escherichia coli, antibiotic residues using DelvoTest and adulteration by specific gravity.
Overall, 13.4% of milk samples tested had significant bacterial contamination with street vended milk having the highest contamination rate (41.9%). The range of bacterial contamination was between 38 and 1.92 x 106 colony forming units per ml (cfu/ml). E.coli contamination, detected only at farm (2.0%) and milk vending points (2.3%), was minimal. Presence of antibiotic residues in milk was at 35.3%, 30.8%, 20.5%, and 12.5% of milk samples from households, milk vending/milk serving points and packed milk, respectively. Thirty two percent of raw milk from street vending points, 18% from milk serving points and 5% from pastoralist households had low specific gravity. The prevalence of subclinical mastitis based on California mastitis test at cow (n=108) and quarter (n=430) levels was 33.3% and 17.2%, respectively.
Findings from this study suggest reduced milk quality at various levels is attributed to diseases, antibiotic residues, adulteration and contamination. This calls for concerted efforts to address these challenges in order to enhance contribution of milk to improved livelihoods of various actors in the study area.