Assessment of milk quality and effectiveness of good management practices among family farmers in the municipality of Irajuba - Bahia

Abstract

Improving the quality of raw milk can enhance the income of producers, the performance of industries, and the safety of the final consumer. Understanding the processes for obtaining quality milk is essential to ensure the integrity and quality of the product that reaches consumers. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the quality of milk produced by family farmers in Irajuba/BA and the effectiveness of extension actions in promoting good management practices in local dairy farming. It combined experimental laboratory actions with extensionist actions in stages: Visits to producers for an initial diagnosis; first collection of milk for physicochemical and microbiological analyses; field day with discussions, practices, and training lectures, followed by a second collection for comparative analysis before and after the introduction of good practices. It was identified that: producers lacked knowledge about good hygiene practices in milking, and they also showed resistance to adopting these practices; there were high CBT and CCS counts; and mesophilic and psychrotrophic counts were outside the standards. Consequently, it was highlighted the need for continuous extension actions for rural producers.

Keywords: Cattle farmers, Rural extension, Milk microbiology, Good milking practices.