The effect of different management systems on milk yield and milk quality in Awassi sheep

Ayhan Ceyhan; Mustafa Avcı; Mehmet Mustafa Tanrıkulu; Beyza Yılmaz; Mubeen Ul Hassan

doi:10.5194/aab-65-407-2022

The effect of different management systems on milk yield and milk quality in Awassi sheep

Arch Anim Breed. 2022 Nov 15;65(4):407-416. doi: 10.5194/aab-65-407-2022. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Ayhan Ceyhan¹, Mustafa Avcı², Mehmet Mustafa Tanrıkulu³, Beyza Yılmaz¹, Mubeen Ul Hassan¹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Department of Animal Production and Technologies, Niğde Omer Halisdemir University, 51240, Niğde, Turkey.
² Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies Plant Production and Technologies, Niğde Omer Halisdemir University, 51240, Niğde, Turkey.
³ Memuta Milk and Dairy Products, Meat, Agriculture and Livestock Food Industry and Trade Company, Konya, Turkey.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of concentrate-based feeding (CF) and artificial pasture-based grazing (APG) management systems on milk yield, fatty acids, nutritional indices, and milk physicochemical characteristics of Awassi ewes. The research involved 300 heads of Awassi ewes, which were divided into two groups. Awassi sheep were managed in a CF and APG system to test the milk yield characteristics. The results showed a significant ( $P < 0.01$ ) difference in milk yield and lactation length between CF and APG management systems of ewes. The average daily milk yield showed a nonsignificant difference for both management systems, and no significant changes ( $P > 0.05$ ) in the chemical composition of CF and APG management systems were observed. Palmitic (C16:0), myristic (C14:0), stearic (C18:0) capric (C10:0), and lauric (C12:0) acids were the major saturated fatty acids found in milk from both management systems. The level of linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) was significantly different in both treatments ( $P < 0.05$ ), but the linolenic (C18:3 n-3) acid level was nonsignificant in milk from the CF and APG management systems. The hypocholesterolemic / hypercholesterolemic (h / H) fatty acid and thrombogenicity (TI) ratios were significantly different ( $P < 0.05$ ); however, the atherogenicity (AI) had no significant difference between confined and grazing systems. In conclusion, it can be said that the lactation length and lactation milk yield were prolonged by the APG management system, though the milk composition and quality were not significantly affected.