ANALYSE DES CONDITIONS DE TRAITE EN ELEVAGE BOVIN HORS SOL DANS LE BERCEAU LAITIER DE MAHDIA (TUNISIE)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess hygienic, technical and technological conditions of dairy milking to evaluate later their impact on cow’s health in non-grazing cattle herds in semi-arid. The study was achieved on a sample of 48 small herds in the region of Boumerdes, the cradle dairy of Mahdia (The Tunisian Sahel).The hygienic and technical monitoring of milking sites had affected the entire sample of farmers. The visual examination and partial testing of the 39adopted milking machines was implemented to appreciate their chosen technology and maintaining in working. It is clear from the evaluation of sites that the majority of farmers ensure milking in calm conditions respecting the rapid and the complete milking. However, 43% of farmers clean cows’ teats before milking, 42% don’t wipe cow’s udder,71%do not control fore milk before milking and all breeders are unaware of teats disinfection after milking. In addition, more than half of the farmers don’t practice a hygienic milking. The sample of milking machines showed that 14% of the mdo not respond the minimum required power, and the minimum capacityto50kPais consistent, regardless of the vacuum pump. All milking machines are equipped with a pneumatic pulsator, but only 18% of them had a pulse frequency according to the standard. The partial testing showed that 29% of machines had vacuum milking was below standard, and the majority of pulsators (79%) were defective.