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    MICROBIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL QUALITY ANALYSIS AND MARKETING OF RAW COW MILK IN SELECTED AREA OF GURAGE ZONE, CENTRAL ETHIOPIA REGION
    (WOLKITE UNIVERSITY, 2025-08) AYELE TADELE ATIRF
    Raw cow milk is crucial for nutrition and income in Ethiopia’s, particularly in Gurage Zone. In this zone, smallholder dairy farming plays a vital role in rural livelihoods, and consuming unpasteurized raw cow milk alongside “kocho”a stable food derived from “Enset” is a common practice. However, traditional milk handling methods, coupled with inadequate hygiene awareness and insufficient sanitation measures during milking, storage and transportation, contribute to a decline in milk quality and pose health risks. Conversely, there is no comprehensive study exists in Wolkite, Gummer and Ennor, leaving a critical knowledge gap. This study was aimed to assess milk handling practices, physicochemical properties, microbial quality analysis, identification and prevalence of pathogenic bacteria and marketing of row cow milk in selected areas of Gurage zone. For survey part, data were collected using semistructured questionnaire from a total of 338 respondents (producer and vendor) that were selected from three study sites. In addition, a total of 60 milk samples were collected for physicochemical and microbial quality analysis. Findings revealed that small-scale milking was predominantly managed by women (95.86%), with most households owning 1–3 cows. Commonly cows fed natural grass, crop residues and Enset, with milking performed twice daily (73.37%) but wolkite 100% achieving in barns (94.08%). Hygiene gaps were identified, including minimal detergent use and reliance on plastic and clay containers for milk storage. Traditional cleaning and smoking of milking utensils commonly used local plants like Weyira (Olea africana), Tid (Juniperus procera) in Gummer district highland area used Kosso (Hagenia abyssinica) significantly reduce spoilage and extend milk shelf life. Most milk is sold informally; Gummer and Ennor process it into other products, while Wolkite mainly sells raw cow milk.Physicochemical analysis indicated deviations from Ethiopian and EU standards, Vendor milk exhibited lower pH (5.40–6.50), higher acidity (0.18–0.27%) and inconsistent specific gravity (1.0123–1.031), suggesting spoilage and possible adulteration. Chemical composition analysis indicated higher total solids, protein and ash content in producers’ milk compared to vendor milk, reflecting significant quality loss. Microbial analysis revealed alarming contamination, with TPC (6.23–6.66 log cfu/ml), YMC(3.15–4.12 log cfu/ml), CC (4.95–5.77 log cfu/ml exceeding the acceptable safety limits, highlighting significant hygiene concerns. Pathogenic bacteria like E. coli, S. aureus and salmonella were detected at worrying rates, indicating poor hygiene and fecal exposure. Gummer had the best microbial quality, while Ennor and Wolkite showed the highest contamination risk, This study underscores the urgent need to enhance milk hygiene, handling practices and infrastructure to ensure safety, higher-quality milk production in the Gurage Zone.