Maira Balbinotti Zanela

Produção e qualidade do leite na bacia leiteira de Pelotas-RS em diferentes meses do ano

We evaluated changes in milk production and quality during 11 months in nine milk production units, randomly chosen at the Pelotas dairy region. Mastitis incidence and average milk daily production were registered. Once a month, animal feed and bulk milk samples were collected at each production unit for further physical-chemical analysis and somatic cells count. Production units were classified in one of the following production systems: specialized, semi-specialized and not specialized. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effects of months, production systems and their interaction, according to a completely randomized design. Fat corrected milk production, crude protein, casein, lactose, total solids, solids non fat contents of the milk and mastitis incidence varied among months, but fat and non protein nitrogen contents and somatic cells count did not. In fall and winter, values for milk production and milk components contents were the lowest, while mastitis incidence was highest in spring and summer.

Leite instável não ácido: um problema solucionável?

This paper aimed to present the main results about the unstable non acid milk (LINA). The proportion of milk samples with thermal stability below the Brazilian dairy industry standard is a serious problem, with highest occurrence at short food supply periods. It is a multi factorial problem, which causing factors are related to test execution (ethanol concentration used), to management (feeding, climate, human-animal relation), to animal (stress susceptibility, productive potential, lactation stage, sanitary condition, digestive and metabolic disorders), among others. There are doubts to the accuracy and precision of the alcohol test to detect stability problems. Dairy industry needs a fast, low price and easy test, but that can identify milk suitable to thermal processing. An adequate animal’s management besides realistic parameters of milk test might contribute to improve milk stability.

Severe feed restriction increases permeability of mammary gland cell tight junctions and reduces ethanol stability of milk.

A total of twelve lactating Jersey cows were used in a 5-week experiment to determine the effects of severe feed restriction on the permeability of mammary gland cell tight junctions (TJs) and its effects on milk stability to the alcohol test. During the first 2 weeks, cows were managed and fed together and received the same diet according to their nutritional requirements (full diet: 15 kg of sugar cane silage; 5.8 kg of alfalfa hay; 0.16 kg of mineral salt and 6.2 kg of concentrate). In the 3rd week, animals were distributed into two groups of six cows each. One group received the full diet and the other a restricted diet (50% of the full diet). In the 4th and 5th weeks, all animals received the full diet again. Milk composition and other attributes, such as titratable acidity, ethanol stability, pH, density and somatic cell count (SCC) were evaluated. Cortisol levels indicated the stress condition of the cows. Plasma lactose and milk sodium were measured to assess mammary TJ leakiness. Principal factor analysis (PFA) showed that the first two principal factors (PFs) contributed with 44.47% and 20.57% of the total variance in the experiment and, as feeding levels increased, milk stability to the ethanol test became higher and plasma lactose levels decreased, which indicates lower permeability of the mammary gland cell TJ. Correspondence analyses were consistent with PFA and also showed that lower feeding levels were related to reduced milk stability, high plasma lactose, high sodium in milk, low milk lactose (another parameter used to assess TJ permeability) and higher cortisol levels, indicating the stress to which animals were submitted. All observations were grouped in three clusters, with some of the above-mentioned patterns. Feeding restriction was associated with higher permeability of TJ, decreasing milk stability to the ethanol test.

Caracterização eletroforética de proteínas e estabilidade do leite em vacas submetidas à restrição alimentar

The objective of this work was to evaluate the feeding restriction effects on milk yield and on its electrophoretic protein profile, and to relate them to milk stability to the alcohol test. Two experiments were carried out with Jersey cows: in the first one, the effect of 40% feed restriction was evaluated on semiconfined cows; in the second one, the effect of 30% reduction in total digestive nutrients was evaluated on confined cows. Protein fractions were determined by electrophoresis and their quantification was done by image analysis. Milk samples were classified according to their stability in the 72°GL‑alcohol test. The 40% feed restriction for semiconfined cows decreased milk yield, but it did not change milk protein contents and stability; in this case, unstable milk showed larger contents of β‑casein and total proteins, but lower κ‑casein in comparison to stable milk. The 30% restriction of energy supply for confined cows did not reduce milk yield, but decreased the percentage of serum bovine albumin and milk stability; in this case, unstable and stable milk did not differ as for protein fractions.

Parâmetros de qualidade do leite de cabra armazenado sob frio

The small-scale goat milk production requires its storage, and such operation is allowed by Brazilian laws. This study aimed at evaluating the cooling and freezing effects on physical-chemical and microbiological characteristics of goat milk. However, no variability was verified in average acidity, alcohol stability, density, fat protein, total solids and lactose values after cold storage. Heat instability was not observed in any of the analyzed samples. There was a decreasing tendency in the somatic cell count (SCC) of frozen milk in comparison to fresh and refrigerated milk. The quantification (NMP) of total and thermo-tolerant coliforms varies from 1,100 UFC/mL, regardless of the storage method. However, a slightly higher count (p < 0.0001) was observed for total and thermo-tolerant coliforms in the samples kept under refrigeration. In the lacto-fermentation test, digested, flocculated and grooved clots were observed without establishing a correlation between them and the bacterial count. SCC and microbial count are the criteria adopted when paying for the quality of goat milk, and the storage temperature may affect these criteria.

Metabolic attributes, yield and stability of milk in Jersey cows fed diets containing sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate

The objective of this work was to evaluate the inclusion of sodium citrate and sodium bicarbonate in the diet of lactating Jersey cows, and its effects on the metabolic attributes, productivity and stability of milk. We evaluated urinary pH, levels of glucose and urea in blood, body weight, body condition score, milk yield, milk stability (ethanol test), and milk physicochemical properties of 17 cows fed diets containing sodium citrate (100 g per cow per day), sodium bicarbonate (40 g per cow per day) or no additives. Assessments were made at the 28 th and 44 th days. Supply of sodium citrate or bicarbonate has no influence on the metabolic attributes, productivity, body weight, and body condition score of the cows, neither on the composition and stability of milk.