Variation of nutritional and microbiological properties of milk in relation to climate adaptation strategies across dairy production systems in West Africa

This study was conducted in West Africa to assess the performance of climate adaptation strategies of dairy production systems on the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of milk. Fifty-four samples of raw milk, pasteurised milk and local cheese collected from three dairy production systems (extensive, modern semi-intensive and traditional semi-intensive) were analysed. The results on physico-chemical quality of milk and cheese from the three dairy production systems were in line with the standard. The extensive dairy production system (system 1), mainly dependent on natural resources, had high values of total protein and carbohydrate; the modern semi-intensive dairy production (system 2) with silage technology had high values of calcium. The traditional semi-intensive (system 3) with fodder treatment had high values of fat, energy, and potassium. Regarding microbiological quality, milk and cheese from the three systems were contaminated with highest contaminants from modern and traditional semi-intensive dairy production systems.