The Effects of Dairy Management on Milk Quality Characteristics

Abstract

The article focuses on the impact of different dairy management types on quality characteristics of organic and conventional milk. The study was conducted during 9 months (spring-autumn), raw milk samples were collected from organic and conventional dairy farms from two Ukrainian regions. The milk samples were analyzed for dry matter, total protein and non-protein nitrogen, ammonia content and values of stable isotopes 13С/12С were measured in fat and milk protein fractions. The values of dry matter, total protein, true protein and non-protein nitrogen content do not represent a statistically significant effect of farming type. The values of ammonia content, ammonia/non-protein nitrogen and ammonia/total protein ratios were statistically significant and reflected the impact of farming type which is, probably, linked with different protein content in cows’ diet. Conversion of some parameters on the dry matter allows more precise differentiation among types of milk, including statistically significant differences (e.g. total protein and ammonia content). The values of δ13C in fat fraction (-26.00‰) and protein fraction (-22.89‰) of organic milk were statistically significant differed in comparison with conventional milk (-23.14 ‰ and -19.15‰ respectively), due to the high amount of maize in the diet on conventional farm. The values of Δδ13C also were statistically significant: 3.99‰ in conventional milk and 3.11‰ in organic. It was established that conventional milk has a greater range of the different parameter seasonal variations than organic milk.

Raw and pasteurized milk quality of D-farm milk processing unit at Faculty of Animal Science, IPB University

“…A low udder pressure will then increase the milk secretion in the udder and resulted in better milk quality. Petrov et al (2016) stated that different dairy farms management will produce different milk quality. Their research in Turkey showed that organic dairy farming management produced milk with higher protein compared to the conventional farm management.…”

Milk Urea Content and δ13C as Potential Tool for Differentiation of Milk from Organic and Conventional Low- and High-Input Farming Systems

“…While there is an assumption that the percent of plant with C 4 -photosynthesis type in the cattle diet have a more pronounced effect on the fat fraction (Molkentin and Giesemann, 2010), however, the effect on protein fraction could also be essential (Petrov et al, 2016).…”

“…It should be mentioned, that δ 13 C threshold of -26.5‰, which could be applicable to German organic dairy was not spread for products from other countries (Molkentin, 2013). Previous study in Ukraine has shown that the average values of δ 13 C fat in organic milk (-26.00‰) were significantly lower than in conventional (-23.14‰) (Petrov et al, 2016), that could be explained by a different amount of maize in cattle diet.…”

“…It was proposed that value of −23.5‰ could be a derived point for the authentication of organic milk (Molkentin and Giesemann, 2010). The study in Ukraine has shown that the average values δ 13 C of protein fraction in organic milk (-23.05‰) were significantly lower than in conventional (-19.15‰) (Petrov et al, 2016).…”

“…The results of physical and chemical parameters obtained by various research groups have shown the difference between organic and conventional milk (Kouřimská et al, 2014, Shröder et al, 2011Kuhnen et al, 2015;Adler and Steinshamn, 2009;Butler et al,2008), as there absence (Petrov et al, 2016;Olivo et al, 2005;Croissant et al, 2007).…”