Evaluation of added value to farmers and the dairy processors using various milk composition and quality control methods

Research aim: To evaluate added benefits for raw milk producers and raw milk processors using various raw milk composition and quality control methods Goal: 1. To collect composition of raw milk and quality parameters utilizing milk farm companies “Pieno Tyrimai” and “Gyvulių produktyvumo kontrolė“ (GPK) database. 2. To analyze collected data and compare farms, which have implemented cow productivity control (GPK) for several years and those which have newly started GPK. 3. Analyze factors (herd size, type of feed, cow keeping system, and sampling method) influencing milk composition and quality. 4. To compare X milk farm‘s raw milk composition and quality indicators after changing analysis frequency. Research place: The research was performed at the Lithuanian University of Health Science Veterinary academy, in the Food Safety and Quality department, Mazeikiai region. Six farms were analyzed during the 2014- 2015 academic years of Master studies. This paper analyzes raw milk composition and quality indicators from farms which have performed livestock productivity control (hereinafter LPC) for many years and those, who have controlled the cows for the last two years. All dairy farms have refrigeration equipment and sell raw milk directly from the farm. The farms are similar in number of cows, housing and feeding conditions. Research results: Livestock productivity control increases (0.18 per cent., P ≤ 0.05) raw milk protein and lactose content (0.33 per cent., P ≤ 0.01 Large farms that have applied livestock productivity control for a long time, have raw milk fat higher, by 0,34 percent, than in small farms. The situation is different in large farms that have never done livestock productivity control. a Milk fat is lower in those large farms, by 0,18 percent, than in small farms. Raw milk protein, lactose content and urea, are higher in large farms than in small ones. Somatic cell count is lower in the large farms (p ≤0,05). The cow keeping system only affected milk proteins. The milk protein content is higher by 0.04 percent (P ≤ 0.05) in farms which apply the grassland - stable cow keeping method. A sampling method was statistically credible for obtaining milk fat and protein. Raw milk fat and protein content were higher (0.2 and 0.14 percent, respectively, p ≤ 0.05) when sampling was done by the assistant of livestock productivity control. When the sampling frequency changed (sampling is carried out more frequently, each time milk is purchased), raw milk fat content and somatic cell number was assessed lower; protein and lactose content was higher (p ≤ 0.05)