Economic values of some important traits for smallholder dairy production in Central Ethiopia.

Economic value (EV), sensitivity of EV and relative economic importance of milk yield (MY), age at first calving (AFC), calving interval (CI) and herd life (HL) traits were estimated for smallholder dairy cattle production in the central part of Ethiopia. The data on biological and economic parameters were collected using household interview and group discussions methods participating 238 farmers who had crossbred dairy cattle. Bio-economic model was used to calculate EV, sensitivity of EV and relative importance of EV. Cost of animal feed takes the highest share which accounted 81.35% of the total expenditure. The overall average profit per farmer expressed in Ethiopia currency (ETB, 1 US-$ = 39.55696 ETB) was 72,458.10 ± 5068 per year. Profitability of crossbred dairy cattle significantly varied (P < 0.05) between zones. Economic value estimated for MY, AFC, CI and HL in ETB were 13.38/kg, -16.19/day, -33.58/day and 79.55/day. The associated EV per additive standard deviation were 6083.62, -1311.59, -1271.05 and 117.73 ETB for MY, AFC, CI and HL, respectively. Analysis of sensitivity to scenario change (± 20%) showed that milk price had positive association with profit and EV, whereas feed price has inversely influenced both profit and EV. The profit obtained by farmers was altered by ± 29.08% and ± 12.31% as milk price and feed price fluctuated by ± 20%, respectively. Similarly, the EV of MY was changed by ± 20% with change in milk price and ± 7% with feed price. Scenario change in feed price (± 20%) has also caused ± 13.63% change on EV for AFC and ± 17.58% for CI. It can be noted that profit and EV of the traits were less sensitive to the change in price of milk, feed and labor. In general, the results of EV and profitability were encouraging for dairy farmers and the estimates can be used as an input for development of breeding program in the study area.

Socio-economic aspects and farming practices of goats in Southern Tunisia.

This study aims to describe socio-economic aspects, farming practices and production limitations of goats by surveying 53 farms holding 5507 head in the regions of Tataouine-Tunisia. It was revealed that goats represented a major source of income for most of the producers (66.1%). Approximately 35.8% of the farmers had not received formal education, with the majority (56.6%) having been engaged in goat breeding for over 10 years. Additionally, 50.9% of stockholders relied on technical knowledge for animal breeding. The investigated herds were mostly (97.4%) comprised of local goat breeds. The most common management system was semi-intensive (49.1%) based on grazing in communal rangelands and supplementation with agricultural by-products and concentrates. The fertility, fecundity and prolificacy rates were 91.3 ± 8.3, 109.8 ± 19.5 and 127.0 ± 15.4%, respectively. The main reasons for keeping goats were their major contribution to the income by the sale of male kids and the provision of milk for home consumption. Sale of male kids at an age of 7.7 months was practiced mostly via intermediaries (94.3%) and rarely directly to butchers and markets (5.7%). The total amount of milk produced on each farm was on average 15.1 l/day, and more than half of farmers (54.7%) consumed goat milk as part of their daily diet. The majority (71.7%) of respondents locally processed milk into Leben, Rayeb and cheese because the goat milk market faced constraints in the Tataouine regions, mainly in terms insufficient milk production and low consumer acceptability. Goats contribute to the income source in rural zones of southern Tunisia, where their breeding is mainly for the purpose of meat sale and the provision of milk for home consumption. The development of goat milk market can represent an added value to this sector.

Do promotions of healthier or more sustainable foods increase sales? Findings from three natural experiments in UK supermarkets.

BACKGROUND: Dietary changes are necessary to improve population health and meet environmental sustainability targets. Here we analyse the impact of promotional activities implemented in UK supermarkets on purchases of healthier and more sustainable foods. METHODS: Three natural experiments examined the impact of promotional activities on sales of a) no-added-sugar (NAS) plant-based milk (in 199 stores), b) products promoted during 'Veganuary' (in 96 stores), and c) seasonal fruit (in 100 non-randomised intervention and 100 matched control stores). Data were provided on store-level product sales, in units sold and monetary value (£), aggregated weekly. Predominant socioeconomic position (SEP) of the store population was provided by the retailer. Analyses used interrupted time series and multivariable hierarchical mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Sales of both promoted and total NAS plant-based milks increased significantly during the promotional period (Promoted:+126 units, 95%CI: 105-148; Overall:+307 units, 95%CI: 264-349). The increase was greater in stores with predominately low SEP shoppers. During Veganuary, sales increased significantly for plant-based foods on promotion (+60 units, 95%CI: 37-84), but not for sales of plant-based foods overall (dairy alternatives: -1131 units, 95%CI: -5821-3559; meat alternatives: 1403 units, 95%CI: -749-3554). There was no evidence of a change in weekly sales of promoted seasonal fruit products (assessed via ratio change in units sold: 0.01, 95%CI: 0.00-0.02), and overall fruit category sales slightly decreased in intervention stores relative to control (ratio change in units sold: -0.01, 95%CI: -0.01-0.00). CONCLUSION: During promotional campaigns there was evidence that sales of plant-based products increased, but not seasonal fruits. There was no evidence for any sustained change beyond the intervention period.

Global losses due to dairy cattle diseases: A comorbidity-adjusted economic analysis.

An economic simulation was carried out over 183 milk-producing countries to estimate the global economic impacts of 12 dairy cattle diseases and health conditions: mastitis (subclinical and clinical), lameness, paratuberculosis (Johne's disease), displaced abomasum, dystocia, metritis, milk fever, ovarian cysts, retained placenta, and ketosis (subclinical and clinical). Estimates of disease impacts on milk yield, fertility, and culling were collected from the literature, standardized, meta-analyzed using a variety of methods ranging from simple averaging to random-effects models, and adjusted for comorbidities to prevent overestimation. These comorbidity-adjusted disease impacts were then combined with a set of country-level estimates for lactational incidence or prevalence or both, herd characteristics, and price estimates within a series of Monte Carlo simulations that estimated and valued the economic losses due to these diseases. It was estimated that total annual global losses are US$65 billion (B). Subclinical ketosis, clinical mastitis, and subclinical mastitis were the costliest diseases modeled, resulting in mean annual global losses of approximately US$18B, US$13B, and US$9B, respectively. Estimated global annual losses due to clinical ketosis, displaced abomasum, dystocia, lameness, metritis, milk fever, ovarian cysts, paratuberculosis, and retained placenta were estimated to be US$0.2B, US$0.6B, US$0.6B, US$6B, US$5B, US$0.6B, US$4B, US$4B, and US$3B, respectively. Without adjustment for comorbidities, when statistical associations between diseases were disregarded, mean aggregate global losses would have been overestimated by 45%. Although annual losses were greatest in India (US$12B), the United States (US$8B), and China (US$5B), depending on the measure of losses used (losses as a percentage of gross domestic product, losses per capita, losses as a percentage of gross milk revenue), the relative economic burden of these dairy cattle diseases across countries varied markedly.

Estimation of the economic impact of heat stress on the Chilean dairy regions by using two comfort thermal indices.

The study aimed to estimate economic losses associated with heat stress in the eight dairy production regions (DPR), defined by the Dairy Chilean Consortium, using two comfort thermal indices, namely, the temperature-humidity index (THI) and the THI adjusted for solar radiation and wind speed (THIa). Hourly records from 19 weather stations (Nov - Mar 2017-2022) were collected to estimate the comfort thermal indices. The economic impact was estimated considering a critical threshold of 65 for both indices and the effect of higher values on loss in milk yield, days open, culling rate, and deaths. There were differences in the number of hours above the threshold among DPRs, independent of the thermal index used (P < 0.01). The greatest values were observed in DPRs I, II, and VIII, which concentrate most dairy cows. Average losses in milk yield were between 2.0 and 6.4 times higher when THIa was used instead of THI, which also depends on the DPR (P < 0.01). These estimations coincide with those observed empirically by producers. The lowest average economic losses per cow during the summer season (5 seasons average) occurred in DPR VI (US $ 91.5), and the highest losses were observed in DPR I (US $ 184.2) both using THIa. At the country level, economic losses fluctuate between US $ 29.0 and 108.4 million per summer season, depending on the comfort thermal index used. Finally, heat stress impacts negatively and significantly the Chilean dairy sector, which is highly dependent on the DPR.

Economic analysis of high-oleic soybeans in dairy rations.

We evaluate the potential economic impact of using high-oleic soybeans (HOS) in dairy rations based on a synthesis of results from 5 prior feeding trials. Milk income less feed costs (MILFC) per cow per day is calculated based on assumed increases in milkfat production and increased cost of rations including HOS. The effects of changes in MILFC are evaluated for herds with different numbers of milking cows, and the total volume of HOS required to support different proportions of US dairy cows is calculated. A dynamic supply-chain model assesses the potential market impacts of increases in butterfat supply. The increase in milkfat from the substitution of 5% of ration dry matter with whole HOS (1.4 kg/cow per day) has the potential to increase MILFC by up to $0.27/cow per day or increase the average value of milk by $0.29/45.4 kg for a cow producing 41 kg/d. Changes in MILFC are highly correlated with the price of butter but were positive for butter prices observed from January 2014 to September 2020. The effects of HOS on MILFC suggest the potential for increases in farm profitability of $33,000/yr for a dairy feeding 500 milking cows. Scaled-up use of HOS by US dairy farmers would increase butterfat supplies and lower the butterfat price to a small extent, but these aggregated effects do not offset the positive effects of MILFC at the farm level.

An analysis of governance factors influencing performance of selected smallholder dairy cooperatives in Zimbabwe.

Cooperatives are organisations owned and operated by individuals or groups that come together for mutual benefit including pooling of resources for the purchase of inputs and marketing of products. Marketing of milk is through dairy cooperatives where the milk collection centres are mandated to help integrating smallholder farmers into competitive markets. The study investigated governance structures of five smallholder dairy schemes purposively selected based on their agroecological regions in Zimbabwe. The aim of the study was to explore how the governing boards conduct their business, particularly marketing milk, and how this affects allocation of resources (milk production and deliveries to milk centres) by smallholder farmers. Qualitative data were collected using focus group discussions with 20 dairy cooperative members from each milk collection centre. Key informant interviews were conducted with chairpersons, management committee members, and dairy value chain stakeholders such as dairy associations and processors. The SWOT analysis technique was employed to identify governance structures highlighting major strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats as a gateway to isolating strategies for enhancing centre performance. An analysis of implications of the governance structures on resource allocation decision by farmers was also performed. So focus is on how boards are discharging mandate such as marketing on behalf of farmers, price setting and negotiations, trainings, and accountability to members. Such factors if executed well will see farmers increasing milk production and deliveries to MCC yielding positive results in income and profits. The study results show that poor governance mainly caused by incompetent boards and management committees was the major factor affecting performance. Other findings were that if good governance factors were in place, then cooperatives became proficient leading to their growth. Thus, cooperatives must adopt business models based on private sector partnerships to maximise on expertise and technical support. The schemes ought to take advantage of existing opportunities, especially policies that mitigate threats and improve product diversity, value addition, and effective pricing strategies. To achieve these milestones, capacity building roadmaps ought to identify competent and efficient boards.

Economic analysis of smallholder dairy cattle enterprises in Senegal.

Smallholder dairy production in Senegal is important to both livelihoods and food and nutrition security. Here, we examine the economic performance of smallholder dairy cattle enterprises in Senegal, using data from longitudinal monitoring of 113 households. The mean (and standard deviation) of the net returns (NR) per cow per annum (pcpa) was 21.7 (202.9) USD, whilst the NR per household herd per annum (phpa) was 106.1 (1740.3) USD. Only about half (52.2%) of the dairy cattle enterprise had a positive NR. The most significant income components were milk sale followed by animal sale, whilst the most significant cost components were animal feed followed by animal purchase. When households were grouped by ranking on NRpcpa, an interesting trend was observed: whilst the mean NRpcpa showed a fairly linear increase from the lowest to highest NR groups, income and cost did not. Income and costs were both higher for the lowest and highest NR groups, in comparison to the intermediate NR groups. The mean NRs of households grouped by the main breed type they kept were not significantly different from each other, due to large variances within the breed groups. However, the mean total income and costs were significantly higher for households mainly keeping improved dairy breeds (Bos taurus or Zebu × Bos taurus crosses) in comparison to those keeping indigenous Zebu or Zebu by Guzerat crosses. This study highlights the highly variable (and often low) profitability of smallholder dairy cattle enterprise in Senegal. Further actions to address this are strongly recommended.

Profile of milk consumers and determinants of A2A2 milk consumption in the Tocantins State / Perfil dos consumidores de leite e fatores determinantes do consumo de leite A2A2 no estado do Tocantin

The dairy industry diversifies products with organoleptic, dietary, functional, and nutritional properties according to consumer demands and welfare. This study aimed to examine the profile of consumers, data on milk consumption, knowledge, and familiarity with A2A2 milk in the Tocantins State, Brazil. A qualitative survey was carried out through a questionnaire applied to 389 people, distributed in 34 municipalities. Regarding the consumption of dairy products, 21.31% of participants described having some type of discomfort when consuming them. Among participants, 46.27% consumed one to two liters, 28.28% two to four liters, and 25.45% more than four liters per week. Milk was the main dairy product consumed, according to 59.13% of participants. Of all respondents, 76.10% pay little or no attention to the information on the label, versus 23.90% who did not. Regarding A2A2 milk, 40.36% possessed some knowledge about it, while 59.64% did not. 42.93% and 30.59% of participants stated they would be willing to pay over 10% or 50% more, respectively, whereas 24.94% would not pay any additional amount on the price of A2A2 milk. Willingness to pay a low additional amount was related to consumers who heard of, but knew little about this product, whereas the likelihood of paying higher additional amounts was associated with respondents who heard and know about the product.(AU)

Atualmente, a indústria láctea diversifica produtos com propriedades organolépticas, dietéticas, funcionais e nutricionais em função de demandas do consumidor e do bem-estar. Assim, objetivou-se estudar o perfil dos consumidores, incluindo dados de consumo de leite, conhecimento e familiaridade com o leite A2A2 no estado do Tocantins. Foi realizado uma pesquisa qualitativa, através de questionário, com 389 pessoas distribuídas em 34 municípios no Tocantins. Em relação ao consumo de lácteos, 21,31% apresentam algum tipo de desconforto ao consumirem, e, 46,27% possuem um consumo semanal de um a dois litros, 28,28% entre dois a quatro litros e 25,45% com consumo superior a quatro litros, sendo o leite o principal produto lácteo consumido por 59,13% dos entrevistados. Dos entrevistados, 76,10% tem pouca ou nenhuma atenção às informações do rótulo contra 23,90% que possuem muita atenção, e 40,63% e 59,64% detinham ou não algum conhecimento sobre leite A2A2, respectivamente. Foi observado que 42,93% e 30,59% estariam dispostos a pagar mais de 10% ou mais de 50%, respectivamente, e 24,94% revelaram não pagar nenhum acréscimo sobre o valor para o leite A2A2. No entanto, a capacidade de consumo está diretamente ligada ao nível de conhecimento e familiaridade sobre leite A2A2, ou seja, pagar um valor adicional baixo demonstrou relação com consumidores que possuem conhecimento sobre, mas conhecem pouco esse produto, enquanto que pagar valores adicionais maiores esteve relacionado com entrevistados que ouviram falar e conhecem sobre o produto.(AU)

Fasting, food and farming: Value chains and food taboos in Ethiopia.

The impact of food taboos-often because of religion-is understudied. In Ethiopia, religious fasting by Orthodox Christians is assumed to be an important impediment for the sustainable development of a competitive dairy sector and desired higher milk consumption, especially by children. However, evidence is limited. Relying on unique data, we shed light on three major issues. First, we observe that the average annual number of fasting days that Orthodox adults are effectively adhering to is 140, less than commonly cited averages. Using this as an estimate for extrapolation, fasting is estimated to reduce annual dairy consumption by approximately 12 percent nationally. Second, farms adapt to declining milk demand during fasting by increased processing of milk into storable products-fasting contributes to larger price swings for these products. We further note continued sales of milk by non-remote farmers and reduced production-by adjusting lactation times for dairy animals-for remote farmers. Third, fasting is mostly associated with increased milk consumption by the children of dairy farmers, seemingly because of excess milk availability during fasting periods. Our results suggest that fasting habits are not a major explanation for the observed poor performance of Ethiopia's dairy sector nor low milk consumption by children. To reduce the impact of fasting on the dairy sector in Ethiopia further, investment is called for in improved milk processing, storage, and infrastructure facilities.

Dairy production in an urbanizing environment-Typology and linkages in the megacity of Bengaluru, India.

Urbanization is a main driver of agricultural transition in the Global South but how it shapes trends of intensification or extensification is not yet well understood. The Indian megacity of Bengaluru combines rapid urbanization with a high demand for dairy products, which is partly supplied by urban and peri-urban dairy producers. To study the impacts of urbanization on dairy production and to identify key features of dairy production systems across Bengaluru's rural-urban interface, 337 dairy producers were surveyed on the socio-economic profile of their household, their dairy herd and management, resources availability and, in- and output markets. A two-step cluster analysis identified four spatially explicit dairy production systems based on urbanization level of their neighborhood, reliance on self-cultivated forages, pasture use, cattle in- and outflow and share of specialized dairy genotypes. The most extensive dairy production system, common to the whole rural-urban interface, utilized publicly available feed resources and pasture grounds rather than to cultivate forages. In rural areas, two semi-intensive and one intensive dairy production systems relying on self-cultivation of forage with or without pasture further distinguished themselves by their herd and breeding management. In rural areas, the village's dairy cooperative, which also provided access to inputs such as exotic genotype through artificial insemination, concentrate feeds and health care, was often the only marketing channel available to dairy producers, irrespective of the dairy production system to which they belonged. In urban areas, milk was mostly sold through direct marketing or a middleman. Despite rapidly progressing urbanization and a population of 10 million, Bengaluru's dairy sector still relies on small-scale family dairy farms. Shifts in resources availability, such as land and labor, are potential drivers of market-oriented intensification but also extensification of dairy production in an urbanizing environment.

Beverage milk consumption patterns in the United States: Who is substituting from dairy to plant-based beverages?

This research used a survey of 995 US households to explore how dairy milk and plant-based beverage substitutes were consumed. Long-term trends of declining beverage milk consumption have been exacerbated in recent years by increasing consumption of plant-based beverages. Although beverage milk consumption has been declining, total dairy consumption in the United States continues to increase, driven by growth in sales of cheese, butter, and yogurt. Using k-means cluster analysis, 3 consumption clusters for US households were identified. The largest cluster, consisting of 61.6% of households, consumed dairy milk with some regularity and consumed little or no plant-based beverages. A second cluster, flexitarian households, consisting of 15.6% of respondent households, frequently consumed both dairy milk and plant-based beverages. The third cluster, plant-based consumers, consisting of 22.8% of households, consumed almost exclusively plant-based beverages. Examining differences in demographics between clusters, flexitarian households were larger, more likely to include young children, more likely to include a vegetarian or vegan, and more liberal than traditional dairy-consuming households. Plant-based households had many similarities to flexitarian households. The flexitarian and plant-based clusters were willing to substitute plant-based beverages for dairy milk for almost all consumption uses.

A framework for the socio-economic evaluation of rearing systems of dairy calves with or without cow contact.

Interest in dairy calf rearing systems with cow-calf contact during the milk feeding period is increasing among farmers, advisors and researchers, but socio-economic consequences have only scarcely been investigated yet. In this research reflection we develop a suggestion for a socio-economic methodical framework that is suitable for the wide variation of cow calf rearing systems, farm, market and societal conditions. Based on a literature based, system-theoretical structuring of involved elements, and on full cost accounting in an exemplary case study concerning two model farms, we itemize monetary factors, and additionally important non-monetary factors, that should be included in a socio-economic evaluation. This process also revealed further research needs. We propose as a next research step to gather a greater number of real farm data including different rearing systems and to perform individual full cost accountings, in order to identify input and output patterns on this basis. This might not only help to provide a robust basis for economic decision making, but also help to fill research gaps concerning long-term effects of calf rearing with cow contact. In addition, ways should be explored on how to take non-monetary effects into account.

Refining consumer attitudes to milk and dairy product purchase and use to reduce food waste and improve animal welfare on-farm.

This Research Reflection raises awareness of the need to broaden perspectives and levels of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches when considering on-farm dairy cattle welfare. It starts with a brief overview of current animal welfare issues on dairy farms and how they are perceived by different stakeholders. Some divergences in points of view are discussed in more detail and the first steps in networking are mentioned. Particular emphasis is given to both milk and dairy product waste in industrialized countries and the potential effects of its reduction on changes in the production system. The needs for a quantification of such quota and retailer involvement are also analyzed from the perspective that on-farm animal welfare is directly linked to the amount of milk that might be removed from the food chain by adoption of welfare-friendly management, such as cow-calf systems.

Application of the Farm Simulation Model approach on economic loss estimation due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Bangladesh dairy farms-strategies, options, and way forward.

The objective of this paper is to quantify the economic loss of the dairy farms due to the pandemic novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection by analyzing the real-time data of two typical farms (BD-2 and BD-14 cow) in Bangladesh and propose a strategic plan of action to make policy decisions in order to support the dairy industry. The International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) Farm Simulation Approach and Technology Impact Policy Impact Calculations (TIPICAL) model was used considering with Corona (WC) and without Corona (WOC). The Integrated Dairy Research Network (IDRN) database (January 2019 to July 2020) was used for simulation of IFCN two typical farms. The milk price is decreased by 17% and feed price is increased by 3.7% due to COVID-19 in March which was used as the base for farm simulation. This resulted in a decrease in milk yield by 7.9% and 8.9% for small household and family farms, respectively. The cost of milk production increased by 19.10% and 10.9% for household and family farms, respectively. This has an overall negative impact on farm income which accounted for national economic loss from dairy farms in Bangladesh to 4.43 million USD/day (36.84 crore BDT). This loss has been fluctuated from April onward and was higher in June (3.83 million USD/day) due to a combination of COVID-19, flood, and seasonality effect on lowering milk production. At the same time, the farmers' response to the resilience capacity (liquidity, operating profit margin, and financial performance) to combat COVID-19-induced situation has been declined substantially. Based on this, we conclude that the government might take a strategy to support farmers by providing financial support for increasing the operating capital and decreasing the cost of milk production. The outcome of this study is expected to be beneficial for policymakers, farmers, and processors in Bangladesh and similar other countries elsewhere.

The dairy sector in the Azores Islands: possibilities and main constraints towards increased added value.

The Azores archipelago is the most suitable region for dairy production in Portugal, representing 30% of the overall Portuguese dairy production. It has a production system characterized by an average milk yield of 6216 kg/cow/year, and the predominance of pasture-based feeding and cows that have longer productive lives and lower incidence of metabolic/production diseases, such as acidosis or mastitis. The biggest problem with the Azores Islands dairy sector is the cost of transport, as the main markets are located in continental Portugal, over 1500 km away, and local dairy products have to compete with dairy products produced in mainland Portugal and in the rest of the European Union. Herein, the evolution of the dairy sector in the Azores Islands from 2007 to 2017 is presented. A SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat) analysis was performed to find potential solutions to increase the value of the Azorean dairy sector. The most relevant solution considered was the valorization of the dairy production through three major aspects: higher milk quality, namely, better organoleptic properties; lower carbon footprint (not considering transport costs); and higher levels of animal welfare. Three examples are shown of such valorization: protected denomination of origin (PDO) cheeses, the "happy cows" program, and the production of an organic milk, from the Terceira Island. Some of these programs are relatively recent, so, it will be interesting to see how their sales and acceptance by consumers evolve, particularly under the current economic framework.

MILK Symposium Introduction: Dairy production in developing countries.

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), dairy production is highly valued, and demand for milk is projected to continue to increase markedly over the next few decades. This presents a tremendous opportunity to improve the nutrition, health, incomes, and livelihoods of millions of people with the high-quality protein and bioavailable micronutrients in dairy products. However, low dairy consumption levels, due to low affordability, accessibility, and availability, still typify several LMICs. This is caused by inadequate feeding, management, and genetics; poor transport, cooling, and processing infrastructure; unconducive policy environments; and sociocultural and demographic factors. Strategies to address some of these factors were presented at the MILK Symposium hosted by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems during the 2019 American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting. The papers presented are full manuscripts in this Special Issue of the Journal of Dairy Science. They address the importance of dairy products for human health, strategies to address feed, management, health, and food safety challenges in dairy production systems, and sustainability of dairy production in LMICs. They collectively show how strategic interventions can lead to marked improvements in dairy production in developing countries. These will ultimately contribute to meeting the growing global demand for milk and to achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The transforming dairy sector in Ethiopia.

In the transformation of agri-food systems in developing countries, we usually see rapid changes in the dairy sector. However, good data for understanding patterns and inclusiveness of this transformation are often lacking. This is important given implications for policy design and service and technology provision towards better performing dairy sectors in these settings. Relying on a combination of unique diverse large-scale datasets and methods, we analyze transformation patterns in the dairy value chain supplying Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa. Over the last decade, we note a rapid increase in expenditures on dairy products by urban consumers, especially among the better-off. Relatedly, the number of dairy processing firms in Ethiopia tripled over the same period, supplying a significant part of these dairy products, especially pasteurized milk, to the city's residents. Upstream at the production level, we find improved access to livestock services, higher adoption of cross-bred cows, an increase in milk yields, expanding liquid milk markets, a sizable urban farm sector supplying almost one-third of all liquid milk consumed in the city, and an upscaling process with larger commercial dairy farms becoming more prevalent. However, average milk yields are still low and not all dairy farmers are included in this transformation process. Small farms with dairy animals as well as those in more remote areas benefit less from access to services and adopt less these modern practices. For these more disadvantaged farmers, stagnation in milk yields and even declines-depending on the data source used-are observed.

Consumer desires and perceptions of lactose-free milk.

Fluid milk consumption has declined in the United States, but lactose-free dairy milk (LFM) sales have steadily increased. It is important to understand how consumers perceive LFM and what consumers value when purchasing LFM. This study characterized consumer perceptions and preferences for LFM. Three 1.5-h focus groups (n = 25), an online survey (n = 331), trained panel descriptive analysis, and a consumer acceptance taste test (n = 160) were conducted with LFM consumers. Focus groups were evaluated by frequency of responses. From the focus group findings, we found that price was a primary choice driver of LFM. Habit and flavor familiarity with cow milk were a major driver of selection of LFM over plant-based alternatives for consumers. Higher sweetness and lower viscosity were the primary sensory differences between LFM and traditional milk, and were viewed negatively in general. The online survey included Kano questions, maximum difference scaling, and an adaptive choice-based conjoint. The data gathered from these techniques provided insight into the perceptions and purchase habits of consumers. Kano data demonstrated consumer attitudes toward the presence or absence of product attributes. The maximum difference scaling scaled the importance of product attributes to consumers. An adaptive choice-based conjoint provided insight into consumer purchase habits by simulating a purchase decision through an online interface. The attributes evaluated included price, packaging material, package size, lactose removal method, shelf life, sweetness, texture, nutrition claims, and label claims. Survey responses were analyzed by univariate and multivariate statistics. Survey results quantitatively confirmed many focus group observations. Price, texture, sweetness, shelf life, and package size were the most important attributes to LFM consumers. A low price, ultrapasteurized LFM in a half-gallon cardboard package was the ideal LFM. Descriptive analysis of 9 commercial LFM followed by consumer acceptance testing was conducted. External preference mapping was conducted with trained panel and consumer acceptance results. Consumer acceptance testing of commercial LFM revealed 3 consumer clusters with distinct preferences for LFM flavor and texture. High sweet taste was a driver of liking for the overall population, and eggy flavor and viscosity were drivers of disliking. Knowledge of consumer preferences for LFM will provide actionable insights for new product development within the dairy industry for this market segment.

Reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance genes in retail raw milk.

BACKGROUND: It has been estimated that at least 3% of the USA population consumes unpasteurized (raw) milk from animal sources, and the demand to legalize raw milk sales continues to increase. However, consumption of raw milk can cause foodborne illness and be a source of bacteria containing transferrable antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the microbiome and antibiotic resistome in both raw and processed milk, we systematically analyzed 2034 retail milk samples including unpasteurized milk and pasteurized milk via vat pasteurization, high-temperature-short-time pasteurization, and ultra-pasteurization from the United States using complementary culture-based, 16S rRNA gene, and metagenomic sequencing techniques. RESULTS: Raw milk samples had the highest prevalence of viable bacteria which were measured as all aerobic bacteria, coliform, and Escherichia coli counts, and their microbiota was distinct from other types of milk. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that Pseudomonadaceae dominated raw milk with limited levels of lactic acid bacteria. Among all milk samples, the microbiota remained stable with constant bacterial populations when stored at 4 °C. In contrast, storage at room temperature dramatically enriched the bacterial populations present in raw milk samples and, in parallel, significantly increased the richness and abundance of ARGs. Metagenomic sequencing indicated raw milk possessed dramatically more ARGs than pasteurized milk, and a conjugation assay documented the active transfer of blaCMY-2, one ceftazidime resistance gene present in raw milk-borne E. coli, across bacterial species. The room temperature-enriched resistome differed in raw milk from distinct geographic locations, a difference likely associated with regionally distinct milk microbiota. CONCLUSION: Despite advertised "probiotic" effects, our results indicate that raw milk microbiota has minimal lactic acid bacteria. In addition, retail raw milk serves as a reservoir of ARGs, populations of which are readily amplified by spontaneous fermentation. There is an increased need to understand potential food safety risks from improper transportation and storage of raw milk with regard to ARGs. Video Abstract.