Milk composition and microbiology

Milk composition varies considerably among breeds of dairy cattle: Jersey and Guernsey breeds give milk of higher fat and protein content than Shorthorns and Friesians. Zebu cows can give milk containing up to 7% fat.

The potential fat content of milk from an individual cow is determined genetically, as are protein and lactose levels. Thus, selective breeding can be used to upgrade milk quality. Heredity also determines the potential milk production of the animal. However, environment and various physiological factors greatly influence the amount and composition of milk that is actually produced. Herd recording of total milk yields and fat and SNF percentages will indicate the most productive cows, and replacement stock should be bred from these.

The fat content of milk varies considerably between the morning and evening milking because there is usually a much shorter interval between the morning and evening milking than between the evening and morning milking. If cows were milked at 12-hour intervals the variation in fat content between milkings would be negligible, but this is not practicable on most farms. Normally, solids-not-fat content varies little even if the intervals between milkings vary.

The fat, lactose and protein contents of milk vary according to stage of lactation. Solids-not-fat content is usually highest during the first 2 to 3 weeks, after which it decreases slightly. Fat content is high immediately after calving but soon begins to fall, and continues to do so for 10 to 12 weeks, after which it tends to rise again until the end of the lactation.

As cows grow older the fat content of their milk decreases by about 0.02 percentage units per lactation. The fall in solids-not-fat content is much greater.

Underfeeding reduces both the fat and the solids-not-fat content of milk produced, although solids-not-fat content is more sensitive to feeding level than fat content. Fat content and fat composition are influenced more by roughage (fibre) intake.

The solids-not-fat content can fall if the cow is fed a low-energy diet, but is not greatly influenced by protein deficiency, unless the deficiency is acute.

Both fat and solids-not-fat contents can be reduced by disease, particularly mastitis.

The first milk drawn from the udder is low in fat while the last milk (or strippings) is always quite high in fat. Thus it is essential to mix thoroughly all the milk removed, before taking a sample for analysis. The fat left in the udder at the end of a milking is usually picked up during subsequent milkings, so there is no net loss of fat.