Author Archives: sukahumbu

Packaging and labeling It was shown during the KARI ARSPII project that simple packaging of milk in sealed and labeled plastic bags really enhances customer confidence and willingness to buy the product. This technology can be adapted using a solar panel so does not necessarily depend on proximity to electricity. Product diversification Camel milk is […]

As most of the informal milk market customers are looking for fresh milk, the best preservation methods include boiling, pasteurising and cooling. If there is a well paying market for fermented milk products like yoghurt or mala/suza, this can be undertaken as a special value addition for income generation project. Boiling or pasteurising of milk Boiling […]

How do we know if the milk we buy is of good quality? For primary milk buyers (buying directly from producers) there are 4 useful milk testing techniques possible: CMT (California mastitis test): measures whether there is major mastitis contamination in the milk (appropriate at producer level). Organoleptic test: (a) look, (b) smell, (c) taste […]

All milk cans, containers and utensils must be properly washed and disinfected. The procedure is as follows: Wash hands with soap and rinse. Washallcontainerswithsoap ordetergentandsuperbriteorsimilar non metal scouring pad material (sisal or plastic sacking can also be used provided it is washed and boiled after use). Rinse out the soap/detergent Sterilise in boiling water Dry […]

As we have seen customers prefer to buy clean, healthy milk with an attractive sweet taste. This is the product with the highest amount of customers. If customers cannot get this quality from the informal milk market they will buy any alternative including the very expensive long life milk. The informal market can produce good […]

1. The animal being milked The outside of the animal’s udder may have soil, bedding, dust or manure on it. For pastoralists in dry areas where no clean water is available for washing of udders, wiping a dry udder with clean dry hands can reduce the amounts of contaminants on the udder that would otherwise […]

Camel udders differ from all other known milk producing animals in that they have 2 or more milk canals in every teat. This is probably another adaptation to their environment – even if one gets spoiled there are still others to produce milk for the calf. It does pose a challenge in the control of […]

Good quality milk comes from clean healthy animals, whether camel, cow or goat. Milk from sick animals often carry diseases along, which results in unattractive taste of the milk as well as storage problems. Milk from sick animals does not keep well. Dirty milk does not keep well. If an animal has been treated with […]

Credits: BiovisionFoundation and CHR HANSEN LABORATORIES Importance of Camels in ASAL As climate change becomes more and more pronounced, the benefit of keeping camels in ASAL areas is becoming more and more obvious. Camels have a range of advantages over other livestock in dry areas as: camels can sustain long periods without water, camels can […]