Page 177 - Agriculture_Form_3

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

not changed. What could be causing the drop in milk yield? How might this
affect both milk yield and quality?
2. A farmer uses clean buckets during hand milking, but the milk often smells
strange by the time it is sold. Some buyers return it or refuse to buy it. What
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may be causing the smell? Suggest at least two management changes that the
farmer could apply to make the milk safe and acceptable for buyers.

3. A person milking a cow pulls the teats quickly to finish milking fast. The cow
becomes restless and kicks the bucket. The next day, the cow gives less milk.
What milking mistakes are likely to be made by the person? What should be
done differently to avoid this?

4. In a remote village, most of the milk must be sold fresh. Sometimes the milk
spoils, especially during hot seasons. What could be the reasons for spoilage
in this case? Suggest alternatives to improve milk preservation.
5. Why is record-keeping important in dairy farming? How can keeping track of
milk yield and cow health help in managing the dairy farm better?

Milk quality testing before processing
Before milk is processed into other products, its quality must be tested. These tests
help ensure the milk is fresh, safe, and clean. Milk that does not meet the required
quality should not be processed or sold but discarded to avoid health risks. A
combination of simple physical, chemical, and microbiological tests can be used
for testing the quality of milk. These tests help identify spoilage, contamination,
or adulteration, and they provide information to guide decisions on whether the
milk is suitable for further use or not. Most of the tests can be done at collection
points, farms, or schools with minimal equipment. These include colour and
smell checks, lactometer tests, Clot-on-Boiling (CoB) tests, alcohol tests, as well
as methylene blue and resazurin tests, as explained hereafter.

Colour and smell test: Fresh milk has a creamy white colour with a natural,
slightly attractive smell. Milk that appears bluish, yellowish, watery, or has an
unnatural colour may be spoiled or adulterated (that is, added water). A sour,
unpleasant, or foul smell is a clear sign that the milk is starting to spoil and should
not be used. Strong smells may also indicate contamination from the animal or
sources as a result of poor hygiene during milking, or unclean containers.

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