Small ruminants milk from Tunisian oasis: physicochemical characteristics, mineral contents, and microbiological quality

AbstractCharacteristics and quality aspects of milk from native ovine Queue Fine de l ’Ouest (QFO) and the exotic D’man (DMN) breeds were investigated and compared with those of two subgroups of the local goat population Arbi and Serti. A total of 418 individual milk samples were collected from multiparous lactating animals reared in the continental oasis region of Tunisia. Sampl es were analyzed for physical parameters (pH, density, and acidity), chemical composition (dry matter, fat, protein, lactose, casein, ash, and casein/protein ratio), mineral concentrations (Ca, P, Na, K, and Ca/P) and microbiological features (total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB), total coliform s count (TCC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), sulphite-reducing Clostridium (CSR), yeast and molds (Y/M),Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus),Escherichia coli (E. coli), andSalmonella) according to standard methods. The values obtained for physicochemical, mineral, and microbial parameters revealed noticeable differences in the milk of the four studied breeds. On the whole milk samples, the mean value of pH, density, and acidity in milk collected from sheep breeds appeared higher than in milk collected from goat subgroups. As for milk composition, results showed a remarkable disparity between studied breeds and clear superiority of sheep breeds compared to goat ’s subgroups in all chemical contents being studied (dry matter, fat, protein, lactose, casein, and ash). The differences are more important, ...
Source: Tropical Animal Health and Production - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research