The effects of genetic groups, and age on the chemical composition, physical properties, and somatic cell count of raw buffalo milk

Abstract

The genetic groups of the buffaloes influenced all the chemical compositional traits (P<0.05), and some physical properties, such as the percentage of citric acid content, and the milk urea nitrogen concentration (P<0.01). Milk from Swamp buffaloes had the highest percentage of fat content (11.1%) compared to purebred Murrah (7.9%) and 75%Murrah crossbreeds (8.2%), but it was not statistically different from the 50% Murrah crossbreeds (9.5%). Similar results were found in the percentages of protein, solid-not-fat, and total solids content. The purebred Murrah showed the highest average lactose content (4.9%), but it did not statistically differ from those of the 50% Murrah crossbreeds (4.6%) and Swamp buffalo (4.5%). The highest citric acid content was found in the Swamp buffaloes (0.20%), while the lowest of the trait was observed in the 100%Murrah. The Swamp buffaloes and the 50% Murrah crossbreeds had higher averages of urea concentration than the 100% Murrah and the 75% Murrah crossbreeds. The age of the animals in different genetic groups did not affect most of the studied traits (P>0.05), except the percentage of milk fat content, the percentage of citric acid and the percentage of urea concentration (P<0.05). The 50%Murrah crossbreeds and Swamp buffaloes which were older than 9 years old which had higher averages of fat content than the other groups. The highest citric acid content average was found in the 50%Murrah crossbreeds which were older than 9 years old, and the highest urea concentration average was detected in milk from the 50% Murrah crossbreeds which were younger than 7 years old.