Effect of breed and stage of lactation on the solid fat content of milk from cows milked once a day or twice a day

Abstract

Solid fat content at 10°C (SFC10) is an important parameter of milk fat that influences the spreadability of butter. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of breed and stage of lactation on SFC10 of milk fat from cows milked once a day (OAD) or twice a day (TAD). Milk was collected from 39 Holstein-Friesian (F), 27 Jersey (J), and 34 Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (F × J) cows from a OAD herd and 104 F and 83 F × J cows from a TAD herd in early, mid and late lactation. The SFC10 was predicted using a regression model using milk fatty acid composition. The lower the SFC10, the higher the spreadability of butter. The SFC10 was lower (P < 0.05) for F cows compared with J cows milked OAD. The SFC10 was lower (P < 0.05) for F cows compared with F × J cows milked TAD. The SFC10 was lower in early lactation compared with mid- and late lactation in both milking frequencies. This study revealed that F cow milk and early lactation milk would be suitable for making more easily spreadable butter in OAD and TAD milking. These results could be applicable in the New Zealand dairy industry if consumer preference for more easily spreadable butter increases.