Milk From Different Breeds

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 72, Issue 6240, 10 June 1946, Page 5

Milk From Different Breeds

That milk from the different breeds of dairy cows varied considerably in composition was common knowledge, declared Dr I. L. Campbell, in an address at Massey Agricultural College. The average test for milk from purebred Jerseys in New Zealand was about 5.5 per cent, from Shorthorns and Ayrshires 4 per cent, and from Friesians 3.5. Similarly the casein fraction of the milks differed (Jerseys 3* per cent, Ayrshires 2.6, Friesians 2.4). Thus the casein-fat ratio differed significantly, being approximately .54 for Jerseys, .65 for Ayrshires, and .69 for Friesians, which fact explained breed differences in cheese yield per lb of fat. Breed also influenced the type of curd. Under standard conditions Jersey milk gave a firmer rennet curd than Ayrshire or Friesian milk. In general, Ayrshiremilk gave longer renneting times than Friesian, which in turn gave a longer time than Jersey milk. The last-men-tioned not only had a higher fat content, but the average size of the fat globules was agreater than that found in Ayrshire or Friesian milk. The more highy coloured Jersey fat was, of course, due to its higher carotene content.