Milk quality in small farms from Southern Region of Brazil

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluates some physical chemical aspects of chilled raw milk that meet Brazilian quality standards in smallholder farms from southern Region of Brazil. The fat content, crude protein (CP), total solids (TS), somatic cell count (SCC), and total plate count (TPC) of the chilled raw milk from 78 smallholder farms was analyzed between Oct 2014 and Feb 2017. It was found that 96% of the samples met the Brazilian regulations for fat content, 87% for CP, and 91% for TS. The mean values of TPC and SCC were higher than the maximum limits established by Brazilian regulations. Smallholder farms from Southern Region of Brazil produce milk with an adequate standard for the main chemical indicators. However, there is an important gap in compliance with hygienic-sanitary practices, leading to high levels of chilled raw milk that does not meet the limits of Brazilian regulations.