Abstract
In Ethiopia, dairy products remain the most important animal source of foods including in the current study area. However, poor milk quality is frequently told constraint, and this affects smallholder dairy development. This study aimed to assess raw cow milk composition, processing, consumption, and marketing among smallholder dairy producers in selected towns of Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. Primary data were collected by surveying 52 randomly selected dairy cattle keeping households using a structured questionnaire and analysis of raw milk chemical composition. The results revealed that the average milk production was 5.98 ± 1.01 liters/household/day, of which the majority (62.9%) was marketed. About 22.7% of households reported processing milk into butter, cottage cheese, ghee, and fermented milk at household level mainly for domestic use. A combination of fresh whole milk, fermented milk, butter, cottage cheese, and ghee (51.7%) were the main dairy products consumed by respondents. About 72.2% and 6.1% of households consumed boiled and raw milk, respectively, while 100% respondents reported consuming raw fermented whole milk. Milk was channeled to consumers and retailers through informal marketing system (100%). The awareness of respondents about zoonotic diseases was found to be very low. The mean fat, lactose, and protein content of raw cow milk were significantly (p < .05) affected by breed. It is recommended that consumption of raw milk and fermented milk could pose a public health risk to consumers, implying the need for urgent farmers' awareness creation to boil milk before consumption for prevention and control of zoonotic diseases.