Milk quality and safety practices of dairy farmers in Punjab

This episode has a discussion on the research article that examines the milk quality and safety practices of dairy farmers in Punjab, India. The authors surveyed 300 dairy farmers across five different agro-climatic zones, investigating their knowledge of milk safety and hygiene practices regarding milker hygiene, animal hygiene, environmental hygiene, milk handling, and chemical residue in milk. The study also analyzed pooled milk samples for somatic cell count, fat, SNF, adulteration, and E. coli contamination. The findings reveal a lack of awareness and poor adherence to hygienic milk practices among many farmers, highlighting the need for extensive awareness campaigns and incentives for producing high-quality milk.