The Environmental relations between milk production amount and some of its components in Iraqi buffalo milk

Abstract

The study was conducted in Iraq, Dhi Qar Governorate, Al-Shatra District, Al-Sada Al-Ghawalba Village, from November 15, 2021, to July 15, 2022, to evaluate milk production effect on some components of Iraqi buffalo milk (% fat, % non-fat solids, % protein, % lactose, % ash, milk density) and to determine the relationship between milk production and these components. The study included 30 lactating buffaloes of different ages, which were divided to three groups depending on their milk production. The first group included low-yielding buffaloes, with a total milk production of 7,380 kg during the study period. The second group included medium-yielding buffaloes, with a total milk production of 13,320 kg during the study period. The third group included high-yielding buffaloes, with a total milk production of 25,020 kg during the study period. The herd was monitored from the beginning of lactation until drying off. The results of the study showed that all milk components under study were changed by milk production in a significant way (p<0.05). The low-yielding buffalo group (7,380 kg) had significantly (p<0.05) higher fat content than the medium-yielding (13,320 kg) and high-yielding (25,020 kg) groups. The medium-yielding group (13,320 kg) also had significantly (p<0.05) higher fat content than the high-yielding group (25,020 kg). The average percentages were 0.12±7.14, 0.11±6.07, and 0.18±5.07, respectively. In terms of non-fat solids, the low-yielding (7,380 kg) and medium-yielding (13,320 kg) groups had significantly (p<0.05) higher percentages than the high-yielding (25,020 kg) group. The average percentages were 0.18±9.49, 0.17±9.28, and 0.11±8.75, respectively. The low-yielding (7,380 kg) and medium-yielding (13,320 kg) groups also had significantly (p<0.05) higher protein percentages than the high-yielding (25,020 kg) group. The average percentages were 0.036±3.51, 0.10±3.44, and 0.033±3.24, respectively. The high-yielding (25,020 kg) group had significantly (p<0.05) higher lactose percentages than the medium-yielding (13,320 kg) and low-yielding (7,380 kg) groups. The average percentages were 0.10±4.90, 0.032±5.20, and 0.12±5.38, respectively. The medium-yielding (13,320 kg) group also had significantly (p<0.05) higher lactose percentages than the low-yielding (7,380 kg) group. In terms of ash, the low-yielding (7,380 kg) and medium-yielding (13,320 kg) groups had significantly (p<0.05) higher percentages than the high-yielding (25,020 kg) group. The average percentages were 0.011±0.67, 0.0048±0.65, and 0.010±0.59, respectively. The medium-yielding (13,320 kg) group also had significantly (p<0.05) higher ash percentages than the high-yielding (25,020 kg) group. The low-yielding (7,380 kg) and medium-yielding (13,320 kg) groups had significantly (p<0.05) higher milk density than the high-yielding (25,020 kg) group. The average values were 0.32±32.25, 0.21±32.1, and 0.29±30.75, respectively. It was found that milk production was negatively and significantly correlated with fat, non-fat solids, protein, ash, and milk density.