A Study on milk consumption pattern among the rural farmers in Noakhali, Bangladesh

Abstract

Milk serves as an essential source of protein for people of all ages. Bangladeshi farmers in the rural areas are less likely to know the advantages of drinking milk. The current cross-sectional study set out to determine how much knowledge there was about milk consumption practices among rural farming families in the Noakhali Sadar Upazila. All told, thirty farmers were interrogated in order to learn more about their awareness of the dangers of consuming raw milk as well as their perception of its significance. Approximately 73% of agricultural families drink milk daily and 73% of the families who drink milk daily consume the milk produced in their own farm. It is observed that there is variation in the time of having milk, 52% families prefer to have milk at night. However, it is concerning that 63% of respondents were unaware of this fact regarding the recommended daily intake of milk. There is lacking of knowledge regarding the raw milk consumption. Even though drinking raw milk can lead to a variety of health issues, including abdominal pain (32%), coughing (24%), vomiting (24%) and diarrhea (19%), still 13 families continue to do so. The results of this study indicate that rural farmers' ignorance may have prevented them from developing the practice of consuming boiled hygienic milk. It is advised that veterinarians, extension agents, and all other stakeholders play their respective parts to increase the rural farmer's understanding.