Compositional Variation between Cow and Buffalo Milk in the Central and South Region of Punjab with Special Reference to Feed

Abstract

The increase in demand for nutritionally balanced milk and milk products is due to increasing  awareness and scientific evidence of the functional and nutritional properties of milk. The quality  and shelf life of dairy products and their yield are directly affected by the composition and  properties of raw milk. Variations occur in raw milk quality due to various factors, such as intrinsic  factors, which are breed and genotype, lactation stages, age, and the size of the animal, and  extrinsic factors, which include season, climatic conditions, change in the feeding system, herd  management, and farm management practices. This research aimed to study the effect of different 
cows and buffalos with feeding patterns and variations on raw milk composition. Quality  indicators of raw milk such as pH, acidity, protein, fat, SNF (Solid Not Fat), total solids, BR values,  and microbial analysis such as total plate count (TPC) and total coliform count (TCC) were  analyzed to explore the variation in milk quality between cows and buffalos. Milk samples were  collected in sterilized glass bottles to check variations in milk composition with variations in feed  and region of different breeds of cow and buffalo from dairy farms in the southern and central  areas of Punjab. Data were analyzed statistically to compare the means of each parameter. The 
results revealed that the percentage of fat, protein, and total solids of milk varied significantly  between cows and buffalos. The result indicated a significant difference in the content of fat. The  fodder that was used, such as sorghum millet and maize, and generally dairy cattle were grazed in  green pastures, had more fat. Animals that were fed on mustard, rapeseed, berseem, lucern,  sugarcane, and oat had more LR, BR, and pH; similarly, those fed on soybean meal had high  protein content. The animals that fed on fresh grass had more total solids (TS), solid not fat (SNF),  and protein.