Physicochemical composition and microbiological quality of goat milk produced in Santiago del Estero Province (Argentine)

The largest caprine milk shed of Argentina is located in Santiago del Estero province, but little information is available about the quality of the milk produced there. The present study consisted of two phases and had the objective of analyzing the physical-chemical composition and microbiological quality of the goat’s milk of this milk shed. In the first phase, milk from 30 small producer operations without defined animal breeds were analyzed with the following mean results: fat, 5.37%; protein, 3.39%; lactose, 4.32%; solids/not/fat (SNF), 8.30%; total solids (TS) 13.66%; acid degree value, 17.61ºD; pH, 6.76; density, 1.031 g/mL; total aerobic mesophiles, 4.96 log cfu/mL and proportion of samples positive for fecal coliforms, 72%. The second phase of the study involved three goat farms with different breeds and production levels exceeding the average of the zone. The milk from these farms did not differ much from the physical-chemical composition cited above, but two of them (T2 and T3) had outstanding contents of fat (5.59 and 5.52%) and TS (14.13 and 13.84%), resulting from their use of the Anglo Nubian breed and feeding based on grazing of natural pastures and supplementation with cereals. The farm T1, that employs the Saanen breed, had the highest mean milk production (1.44 kg/day) and the lowest acid degree value (16.49ºD), resulting from better management of the operation and more efficient cooling of the milk after milking. It is concluded that, eventhough better hygienic/sanitary management of the crude milk is needed, milk from this milk shed is well suited for cheese making