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Extension Services for Quality Milk Production
Proceedings of an International Workshop in conjunction with the East-West-Forum
of the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Forestry
and the "Window of German Animal Breeding" at the International Green Week
24-25 January, 1999
The Status of Efforts in Dairy Extension for Better Milk Quality in Slovakia
L. Dobrovic – State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
The quality of milk is at present a very important issue in Slovakia.
This is derived from the fact that approximately 20 % of the total earnings
in the field of Slovak agriculture are generated by sales of milk.
Characteristics of the principal framework determining the production of
milk
Slovakia is a country with prevailing agricultural large scale production.
This also applies to livestock production, although this industry has,
after transformation of the political-economical system of the country,
experienced dramatic changes reflected in the two main parameters linked
to the production of milk, i.e. in the number of cows and in the milk yield
of cows (see Fig. No.1).
Fig. 1: Review of number of milk cows in the Slovak Republic
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
While the total number of cows in Slovakia was 524 644 in 1990, the
number was reduced to 289 721 animals (55.2 %) by 1998. A positive feature
of the decline was that the percentage of milk recorded cows has increased
to 76.6 % by 1998.
The stock reduction was also manifest in the decreasing average number
of cows per farm; the development of concentration in farms incorporated
in the milk recording is documented by the next graph (Fig. No. 2), showing
that the average number of cows per farm has dropped from 193 units in
1992 to 162 in 1998. Lowest concentration was recorded in 1997, followed
by an increase in 1998.
Fig. 2: Development of average concentrations in farms within the
milk recording in Slovakia
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
The milk yield development of cows in controlled farms is shown in Fig.
No. 3. At first the milk yield showed a gradual decline until its lowest
point in 1992, ("bottom") and despite the expressive reduction of number;
this trend reversed in 1993, with the yields continuously growing until
1998. The year-to-year growth is characterised in the graph in Fig. No.
4, showing that the highest increase (+295 kg of milk) of milk yield appeared
in 1998.
Fig. 3: Review of the milk yield of cows in farms within the milk
recording in Slovakia between 1990 and 1998
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
Fig. 4: Annual growth of the milk yield (in kg of milk) of cows in
farms within the milk recording in Slovakia
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
Governmental measures taken in support of increased milk quality
The S.R. government, acting through the Ministry of Agriculture, continuously
promotes improvements in the quality of milk. This support has been gradually
amplified, using the following instruments:
1. Pricing policy. At present, Slovakia has fixed (guaranteed)
prices in the first, second and third qualitative class of milk. Purchases
of milk in the highest (Q) class of quality are subject to price agreements
between the buyer and the seller, and thus may exceed the guaranteed level.
In the first half of 1998, 43.5 % of all purchased milk was classified
Q, Class 1 was represented with 43 %, Class 2 with 9.74 % and Class 3 with
1.34 %. Approximately 2.4 % of the milk was classified as unsuitable.
2. Direct and indirect subsidies
a. Direct governmental subsidization in the form of premiums
for quality has been provided to milk producers in order to support the
increase of the quality of milk sold up to a defined quota. A review of
the total volume of such direct subsidies in the 1991 to 1997 period is
shown in the next graph (Fig. No. 5), showing a year-to-year growth in
the volume of subsidies.
Fig. 5: Review of S.R. governmental subsidies in support of milk
quality improvement between 1991-1997
Source: S.R. Ministry of Agriculture
Fig. 6: Reviews of S.R. governmental subsidies in support of purchases
of advanced equipment, technologies and reconstruction of production capacities
between 1991-1997
Source: S.R. Ministry of Agriculture
b. Indirect governmental subsidization is provided to milk
producers in the form of support in the purchases of advanced milking equipment
and technologies. A review of the total volume of indirect subsidies between
1991 and 1997 is shown in the graph in Fig. No. 6, also showing an annually
growing trend of subsidization. In the period between 1992 and the end
of 1997 approximately 300 new milking parlours were established in the
country.
3. Tax and credit instruments
a. The excise duty levied and collected on Diesel fuel is subsequently
returned, amounting to approx. SK 0.30 per litre of milk sold.
b. Loans at reduced interest are provided from a state support
fund.
The total value of governmental support provided in the field of milk production
is estimated at 28 - 32 % of the cost per litre of milk (as compared to
50 - 80 % in the European Union member countries). The year-to-year growth
in the subsidization of the production of high-quality milk in Slovakia
has been 10 to 15 %.
Quality evaluation
At present the quality of milk is evaluated in Slovakia in accordance with
the applicable STN technical standard. The requirements of this standard
for the number of somatic cells in the milk are identical to those of the
European Union guideline. The proposed parameters of quality in the amended
STN "Raw Cow Milk", scheduled to supersede the recent standard as of April
1, 1999 the recent standard, are conform to the requirements of the EU
guideline, as shown in the table 7.
Table 7: Proposed qualitative parameters in the amendment of STN
57 0529 - Raw Cow Milk
|
No. of somatic cells (thousands per ml)
|
|
Quality class
|
|
Q
|
I
|
|
up to 300
|
up to 400
|
| |
|
Total number of micro-organisms (thousands per ml)
|
|
Qualitative class
|
|
Q
|
I
|
|
up to 50
|
up to 100
|
Source: Dairy Research Institute, j.s.c., Zilina
Table 7a: Comparison of S.R. - EU requirements for the number of
somatic cells (in thousands per ml)
|
In force from
|
No. of somatic cells
|
Note
|
| 1994 EU |
max. 400 000, or other values*
max. 500 000, or other values** |
Guideline 92/46
ECE Council |
| 1995 SR |
max. 300 000 in "Choice" class
max. 400 000, or other values** |
STN 57 0529 |
| 1998 EU |
max. 400 000, or other values |
Guideline 92/46
ECE Council |
Notes:
* Raw milk for production of heat treated consumer grade milk, fermented
milk, milk with rennet added, milk coagulates, flavoured milks and creams
** Raw milk for production of other milk-based dairy products
Table 7b: Comparison of S.R. - EU requirements for microbiological quality
of milk (in maximum or specified values), expressed in total germ counts
(000/ml)
|
In force
|
Qualitative class
|
|
from the year
|
Choice (Q)
|
I
|
II
|
III
|
| 1994 EU |
Max. 100 in the category* of milks,
Supplement A, Chapter IV, Article A/1
Max. 400 in the category** of milks, Supplement A, Chapter IV, Article
A/2 |
| 1995 S.R. |
50
|
100
|
300
|
800
|
| 1998 EU |
max. 100 in all milks |
| Similar conditions expected in the S.R. in line
with classification for payments of max. prices |
Notes:
* Raw milk for production of heat treated consumer grade milk, fermented
milk, milk with rennet added, milk coagulates, flavoured milks and creams
** Raw milk for production of other milk-based dairy products
Source: Dairy Research Institute, j.s.c., Zilina
The quality of milk for price determination purposes is evaluated
in 4 laboratories. Based on their results, the purchasers pay for the determined
qualitative class of milk sold to the primary producers.
Improvements in the quality are considerably assisted by the continuous
monitoring of the number of somatic cells in milk, executed at the S.R.
State Breeding Institute. Regular analyses are carried out individually
at the central laboratory of the Institute, with samples from the majority
of all cows included in the milk recording. The results are operatively
distributed by fax to the farmers. A review of the number of milk samples
taken, and of the numbers of analyses for somatic cells from 1994 to 1998
is shown in the graph in Fig. No. 9.
Fig. 7: Review of total milk samples analyzed from cows within the
milk recording in Slovakia in the 1994 – 1998 period
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
Obviously, the number of milk samples analyzed for the presence of somatic
cells is increasing, with a simultaneous slight decrease in the number
of analyses for fat, protein and lactose contents in the milk recording.
The percentage of analyses for somatic cell contents in the total number
of milk samples analyzed at the Institute is shown in the graphs No. 9a,
9b, showing a gradual increase in the percentage of these analyses.
Fig. 8a: Percentage of milk sample analyses for somatic cell contents
in the total number of samples within the milk recording in Slovakia in
the 1994 – 1998 period
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
Fig. 8b: Percentage of milk sample analyses for somatic cell contents
in the total number of samples within the milk recording in Slovaks
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
A review of qualitative analytical results on the number of somatic
cells in milk within the milk recording between 1996 and 1998 is shown
in the next graph No. 9c. The improvement in comparison with 1997 is obvious.
Graph No. 9d shows a review of classification (by ranges of somatic cell
contents) of individual milk samples from cows within the milk recording
in Slovakia.
Fig. 8c: Somatic cells (PSB) in individual milk samples from milk
recorded cows 1996-1998
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
Fig. 8d: Somatic cells (PSB) in individual milk samples from milk
recorded cows 1998
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
The central laboratory for analyses of milk of the S.R. State Breeding
Institute is scheduled for accreditation in 1999. It is a participant of
the international program of circular comparison tests, with the applicable
review shown in the tables in Fig. 8, 8a. The Laboratory was also involved
in four international circular comparison tests, organized in Kiel, Germany
with the purpose of determination of the number of somatic cells in milk
(its position in the test results is shown in the Table), as well as in
four international circular comparison tests for fat and protein contents,
organized by CECALAIT (France) of which the Laboratory is a full member.
Table 8: International circular tests - Participation of the Central
Laboratory of the S.R. State Breeding Institute
BAM (Bundesanstalt für Milchforschung) Kiel -circular tests for
somatic cells
|
Test date
|
Test type
|
Locations
|
No. of labs
|
| 9.10.95 |
Circular Anadis test |
4
|
|
| 10.3.96 |
International circular test |
20
|
94
|
| 11.3.97 |
International circular test |
27
|
94
|
| 16.3.98 |
International circular test |
19
|
94
|
Table 8a: CECALAIT - France circular tests for contents of fat, proteins,
lactose
|
Test date
|
Test type
|
Locations
|
No. of labs
|
| March 96 |
Fats, % |
40
|
52
|
| |
Proteins, % |
32
|
52
|
| September 97 |
Fats, % |
43
|
46
|
| |
Proteins, % |
30
|
34
|
| |
Lactose, % |
23
|
25
|
| March 98 |
Fats, % |
31
|
38
|
| |
Proteins, % |
49
|
62
|
| November 98 |
Fats, % |
Results not available
|
| |
Proteins, % |
Results not available
|
Source: State Breeding Institute of the Slovak Republic
From October 1, 1998 the S.R. State Breeding Institute commenced, by
request of breeders, to analyze milk samples for contents of urea.
Conclusion
The information shown in the paper emphasizes the remarkable improvement
in the quality of milk in Slovakia over the recent years, and the unrelenting
care for its continuity, with the objective to meet all international requirements
of quality of milk produced in Slovakia. In this respect we are confident
of success in the near future.
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