Effect of the incorporation of a high food value fodder ration on the cheesemaking quality of milk Bounoua L. Doubbi1, Dahou A.A.1,*, Medjahed M.1, Tahlaiti H.1, Homrani A.1 1Laboratory of Sciences and Technics of Animal Production (LSTPA), Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University, Mostaganem, Algeria *Corresponding Author: A.A. Dahou, Laboratory of Sciences and Technics of Animal Production (LSTPA), Department of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, Abdelhamid Ibn Badis University, Mostaganem, Algeria, Email: abdelkader.dahou@univ-mosta.dz
Online published on 4 July, 2024. Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of incorporating high value fodder on the productive performance of experimental Prim Holstein cows in lactation. Methods This supplementary feed ration is composed of a mixture of green grass silage and meadow hay. The effect of this incorporation on milk production and cheesemaking quality was studied on a batch of twenty-five high-lactation cows in experimental stalls. Result Physico-chemical analysis showed that concentrate and hay are energy-dense feeds, with the highest dry matter and crude cellulose content However, the fodder ration is richer in crude protein and minerals. Evaluation of the chemical composition of milk in the high-lactation phase revealed a significant difference between the experimental batch and the control batch in terms of protein, dry matter and urea content, but no difference was observed in terms of fat, lactose and mineral content. Analysis of production performance data clearly showsed that the fodder ration significantly improved milk production and technological milk quality. The use of green fodder remainsed effective in improving milk production performance and the cheese-making quality of the milk. Technological milk coagulation times have been optimized to ensure the correct orientation of the targeted cheese matrices. Top Keywords Cheese quality, Experimental cows, Fodder ration, Milk production. Top |