Assessment of butter making practice in Sidama zone, SNNPR

This study was conducted to investigate traditional butter making practice, consumption and utilization in Sidama zone, Southern Nation Nationalities Peoples Region. A total of 180 households were selected from three agro ecology (60 household per each) where milk processing for butter making has long tradition. The highest and significant difference (P=0.010) on butter making practice was observed among three highlands (100%), midland (97%) and lowland agro ecology (88%). Regarding consumption of milk and milk products for household, butter milk and butter were ranked as 1st and 2nd. This was due to most of traditional foods in Sidama zone were prepared with butter and consumed by buttermilk. Besides the women’s in the study area process butter primarily for the combined benefit from the sale, for household consumption and as cosmetics which is holding the highest percent (89%) than consumption together with sailing (34%) and consumption alone (33%). In the process of making butter, the processing equipment (Clay Pot) smoked by different plant for the purpose of improving the flavor ranked as 1st and for increased butter yield (2nd rank) and to prolong the shelf life (3rd rank). Woira (Olea Africana) is the dominant smoking plant used for fumigation in the three agro-ecologies. In addition to Woira, Tside (Juniperous Procera) and Bamboo (Bambusa Vulgaris) the second and the third mostly used plants in the highlands of the studied locations respectively. Furthermore, different types of spices were added on butter while cooking. Among the spices, Koseret (Ocimum Hardiense) is dominant in the highland and lowland agro ecology where as Korerima (Aframomum Corrorima) and Abish (Trignella Foenum) in the lowland agro ecology. In the study area most of the respondents make butter from milk of local cow. The milk from exotic breeds was used for raw milk consumption than processing. There is also significance difference in the amount of milk used once for butter making that about 5.5 litter, 5litter and 3.5 liter for highland, midland and lowland agro ecology respectively. Moreover, the interviewed households make butter every 4 days in the highland and 3 day in both of the midland and lowland agro ecology. The finding also figured out that different butter processing constraints in all of the studied districts such as processing utensils easily be broken (clay Pot) (38%), time taking (30%), limited milk yield (20%) and labor taking (16%). Additionally, about 76% of the respondents have limited awareness on improved butter churner and about 17% of the respondents responded inaccessibility as the reason for not utilizing improved churner. Thus, an introduction and demonstration are required to fill the gap of improved butter churner which saves time, reduces women workload and minimize breakage of processing utensil.