DETERMINING THE QUALITY OF MILK FROM COWS FED ON FEED SUPPLEMENTS ENRICHED WITH ENZYMES AND VITAMINS AND ITS SUITABILITY FOR CHEESEMAKING

The aim of this research was to determine the effects of enzyme preparations, lysozyme and lysosubtilin in particular, and those supplemented with vitamins A, C and E, added to cows ’ feed, on the somatic cell count and technological properties of milk which are considered primary important in cheesemaking. Three groups of Lithuanian Black and White cows (10 cows each) were fed on a ration supplemented with Neosomatas 1 prepara-tion containing lysosubtilin, 0.02 g and lysozyme, 0.2 g, and Neosomatas 4 preparation (lysozyme, 0.2 g and vitamins A, C and E). The duration of the trial was 10 days. Measurements were conducted on the 4th, 7th and 10th day of the trial and 7 days following the trial. The reduction of somatic cell count in milk was observed during and after the feeding period. The highest effect of the feed supplement was observed in the third group which was fed on Neosomatas 4. The enzyme- and vitamin-based feed supplements were also effective with regard to the technological properties of milk. Changes in the acidity of milk during storage were rather slow. Likewise, the process of milk fermentation was slow, the properties of structures that were formed differed compared with control group of cows. However, the technological properties of milk from cows fed on Neosomatas 4 supplement were better as compared with cows fed on Neosomatas 1 feed supplement. Studies on the enzyme structure formation and the process of syneresis showed that feed supplements enriched with enzymes and vitamins had no effect on the above indices. It was also found that milk under study was characterised by good technological characteristics and therefore was suitable for cheesemaking