PROJECT NAME:
BURDUR MILK QUALITY PROGRAM
PROJECT COORDINATOR:
Assistant Prof. Afşin KÖKER
PROJECT SUBJECT:
The proposed project focuses on the establishment of a regional milk quality program. This topic can also be evaluated within the context of food hygiene and biosecurity, as well as efficiency and economy in quality milk production. Additionally, the project addresses issues such as vocational technical education, employment, and regional promotion on a sectoral basis:
- Establishment of a regional milk quality program
- Food hygiene and biosecurity
- Efficiency and economy in quality milk production
- Vocational technical education and employment
- Regional promotion on a sectoral basis
In today's production sectors, the quality of the product offered to the market is more important than the quantity produced, particularly regarding the efficiency of production processes. In raw milk and similar food raw materials, the concepts of public health and food biosecurity also come to the forefront. The quality of the raw milk produced includes many parameters, but two measurable key indicators of quality milk are somatic cell count (SCC) and total bacterial count (TBC). Both values are quantitatively expressed as the number of counts per mL of milk. According to the Turkish Food Codex regarding raw milk and pasteurized milk, the criteria for our country are set at 500,000 cells/mL (SCC) and 100,000 cells/mL (TBC). However, targeting these current criteria places us in a position that is lagging behind the modern world. Therefore, the primary targets should be the EU standards of 200,000 cells/mL for SCC and 50,000 cells/mL for TBC.
The protein, fat, lactose, dry matter content, and other components of milk are directly related to its somatic cell count and the number of microorganisms it contains. By implementing measures in farm or cooperative-style enterprises, SCC and TBC values can be reduced to ideal levels. If there are issues related to these values in the produced milk, they can be brought to ideal levels through proper nutrition, hygiene measures, mechanization, and training practices.
It can be said that considerable progress has been made in Burdur Province through various academic and sectoral studies. However, the missing link in the milk quality system in Burdur and throughout the country is the lack of a coordinated working network that operates regionally, supported by a centralized monitoring system that ensures a sustainable flow of data. Within the framework of the Burdur Milk Quality Program, measures, protocols, procedures, and plans necessary to reduce the SCC and microorganism count to ideal levels throughout the production process—from obtaining healthy milk from healthy cows to transferring it to the farm tank—will be addressed. The program will be managed by an expert team from both national and international backgrounds, ensuring participation from industry representatives and producers.
The infrastructure provided by the Central Research Laboratories and the specialized laboratories of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine within our university, along with the scale of operations and the level of cooperativism across Burdur Province, is highly adequate for the implementation of the program. The primary budgetary requirement is the establishment of a professional management network based on a centralized database for the continuous monitoring of the milk quality program, as well as the provision of fieldwork and training conditions along with support for intermediate personnel. Additionally, if the necessary legal regulations can be established in the future to support businesses achieving the targeted milk quality, the program can serve as an appropriate model for the entire country.
REGIONAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE PROJECT:
The Burdur Milk Quality Program is a pioneering project in Turkey in terms of its scope and nature. Many successful countries or regions in commercial raw milk production have been implementing and promoting their own milk quality programs for many years. It is crucial for us to initiate this program in our region and throughout the country for the production and standardization of high-quality milk and dairy products, especially for export purposes. It is a well-known fact that we are quite late in this regard. Since the establishment of the Sugar Factory in 1955, which led to the rise of large-scale dairy farming in Burdur, significant milestones have been reached, including village cooperatives, breeding programs, artificial insemination, e-breeding, good agricultural practices, and various governmental supports from IPARD and the Ministry. With the establishment of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and our university, the dairy farming sector has gained considerable strength and effectiveness.
Under the "Burdur Milk Quality Program," Burdur's dairy farming can achieve a highly competitive position internationally, along with all its components. Overall, Burdur and its dairy farming sector will enhance their effectiveness by promoting themselves on a much stronger foundation.
SOCIETAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE PROJECT:
If stabilized, the Burdur Milk Quality Program will primarily benefit the enterprises and cooperatives included in the system, as well as the producers. Through the training of relevant personnel and the measures taken for implementation, efficiency in herd management will increase, and potential losses in milk yield due to various reasons can be prevented, thus enhancing profitability. Over time, if quality-based support can be provided, this will also serve as an incentive for producers who are striving for quality.
Considering the shelf life and production efficiency of the high-quality and healthy milk produced, significant gains can also be achieved for factories and dairies processing this milk in terms of efficiency. The standardization of high-quality dairy products suitable for export will open up opportunities for the sector and will serve as an exemplary model to stabilize and strengthen the existing dairy industry in Turkey, preventing the bottlenecks that we occasionally experience in all related fields.
Regarding public health and safe food consumption, the importance of high-quality milk production is undeniable, especially in ensuring healthy nutrition for future generations.