-The aim of this correlational study was to: (1) characterize the composition of cow's milk farmhouse cheeses in terms of average contents and variability in fatty acids, retinol, α-tocopherol, folate, β-carotene, xanthophylls, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, zinc, sodium chloride and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and (2) identify herd characteristics and feeding practices associated with differences in cheese composition. Three hundred and six farmhouse pressed cheeses, produced under real herd management conditions throughout the year, were collected. The conditions of milk production were identified beforehand by means of surveys. The farmhouse cheese was characterized by a high variability in composition. The nature of the basic fodder ration (pasture vs. preserved forages, in particular) explained a great part of the variability in the fat-soluble components in the cheese. The cheese fat was richer in C4:0, C18:0, cis-9 C18:1, trans-11 C18:1, cis-9, trans-11 C18:2 (CLA), β-carotene, xanthophylls, retinol, α-tocopherol and TAC and poorer in C10:0, C14:0 and C16:0 with the pasture-based rations compared with the preservedforage-based rations. In the grazing period, it was the poorest in C6:0 to C14:0, β-carotene and retinol and the richest in cis-9 C18:1, C18:2 n-6 and C18:3 n-3 with the alpine pasture. It was higher in trans-11 C18:1, CLA, β-carotene and xanthophylls and lower in C16:0 with a first-use pasture compared with a pasture of higher use rank. A higher percentage of concentrate was associated with higher levels of C14:0 and C16:0 and lower levels of trans-11 C18:1, CLA, C18:2 n-6, C18:3 n-3, xanthophylls and retinol. In the indoor feeding period, the cheese fat was the poorest in trans-11 C18:1, CLA, C18:3 n-3 and β-carotene with the maize-based rations, while the vitamin A and E supplementation was associated with higher retinol and α-tocopherol contents, respectively. Herd characteristics did not markedly affect the cheese composition, except the breed. In particular, Abondance and Montbéliarde breeds were associated with higher CLA percentage in the cheese than the * Corresponding author (通讯作者): jbc@clermont.inra.frArticle published by EDP Sciences and available at http://www.edpsciences.org/lait or http://dx