Research Article Open Access

Implications of Introducing Improved Butter Churner on Churning Time and Butter Making Efficiency

Abstract

Lack of churning equipment which can save time and enhance butter recovery is the major challenge for smallholders in Sidama zone, southern Ethiopia. This study was conducted to evaluate butter making efficiency, churning time and butter amount obtained from the traditional butter churner (clay pot) in relation to improved manual butter churner in Sidama zone. A total of 54 women farmers from three dairying potential districts were selected where milk processing for butter making has long tradition. The efficiency of both churners was evaluated by using five liter milk obtained from local breeds. The volume of both of the churning equipment was 20 liter. Significantly higher quantity of butter (0.41 kg/5liter) at P>0.5 was obtained from improved churner than traditional clay pot (0.26kg/5liter). Furthermore, the traditional mechanism of butter processing took significantly longer churning time (59 minute) than improved churner (26minute). The quality of butter obtained from improved churner was ranked from very good to excellent by 96% of respondents while the butter obtained from traditional churner was favored only by 15% of the respondents. In contrary, the butter milk obtained from improved churner was ranked from very good to excellent by about 48% respondents compared to 59% for the butter milk obtained from the traditional churner. The findings have also figured out that butter making efficiency of improved churner was almost double (82%) than the traditional churner (50%). In conclusion, improved churner was preferred to local one for its ability to yield better amount of butter, more butter making efficiency and shorter churning time it required. For rural areas of Ethiopia where women are responsible for feeding the family and investing almost all income to the family, obtaining more butter could enhance income and dietary diversity of the household. Moreover, the improved butter churner has saved workload and drudgery of rural women by reducing their churning time. Using improved churners could also contribute for reducing gender disparity through participating men in milk churning process Therefore, it is suggested that improved milk churner needs to be introduced, demonstrated and promoted to small-holder dairy farmers not only within the study region, but also beyond. Market linkage need also to be established between suppliers of improved churner machine and dairy farmers at reasonable cost.

Tsedey A, Bereket Z and Genene T

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