The detailed composition, pH, and the properties of rennet clotting, coagulum development and syneresis at pH 6-4 were estimated in milks from 4 Friesian cows during the first 9 weeks of lactation. The concentrations of casein, fat, citrate, Ca, Mg, Pj and Na decreased significantly during early lactation whilst the pH and concentration of lactose increased. Levels of whey protein and K and the casein:fat ratio were unaltered. Considerable variation occurred in the relative proportions of a s -, yff-and /c-casein. These changes in composition were associated with decreasing coagulum strength and an increased rate of whey drainage although rennet clotting time (RCT) did not follow a significant trend. RCT was positively related to levels of Na and whey protein but negatively correlated with Pj, K and lactose. There were significant positive correlations between coagulum strength and casein, fat, nonprotein nitrogen, P 4 , Ca, Mg and citrate. The correlation with a s -casein was stronger than that with /?-or /c-casein. Syneresis time was positively related to fat, Ca and coagulum strength, but negatively related to the concentration of lactose.Seasonal changes in milk composition give rise to unfavourable variations in the yield and quality of dairy products. Feeding, stage of lactation and breeding are the major controllable factors which affect milk composition. Recent studies on milks from different breeds and species of ruminant (Storry et al. 1983) and from Friesian herd milks during the change from winter rations to spring grazing (Grandison et al. 1984) have demonstrated that the coagulation of milk by rennet is radically affected by milk composition. In the latter report and the present study we have attempted to assess individually the effects of nutritional changes and stage of lactation on the composition and rennet coagulating properties of milk. Previous reports (e.g. Chapman & Burnett, 1972;O'Keeffe et al. 1982) have described the variation in composition and properties of milk with season but have not dissociated the effects of nutrition and lactation.The present paper describes studies of the detailed composition and rennet coagulation properties of milks from four Friesian cows during the first 9 weeks of lactation.