Influence of Climatic Factors in a Subcarpathian Mountain Range on Fat and Protein Content of Raw Milk from Indigenous Breed

Abstract

animals, as well as indirectly, on the biodiversity of forage sources (Broom, 1991; Machiko et al., 2014). In this regard, special attention must be given to the climatic factors with major impact on the expression of productive potential in lactating cows (Collier et al., 2006). In this study, focused on investigation of raw milk, we propose to evaluate the influence of the main climatic factors (temperature, humidity, pressure, precipitation) on the seasonal evolution of fat and protein content of raw milk, obtained in the conditions of Carpathian Mountain range, Valea Gurghiului.The research was conducted on (the) processed milk, from December 2011 to July 2013, in a private commercial unit in southwestern part of Western-Carpathians. The investigations were carried out in collaboration with a weather station in the area, from which we obtained data on seasonal dynamics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and rainfall. These were processed in order to quantify the influence of the main climatic factors on fat and protein content of raw milk that was submitted to physicochemical testing with the EKOMILK semiautomatic analyzer. Statistical analysis of the recorded data was carried out using MedCalc software; the analysis on the variables was carried out by means of the Pearson r. correlation coefficient test.Following the correlative statistical analysis of the values recorded from the evaluation of the climatic factors - fat/protein content, positive and negative correlations were established, which were relevant to the objectives pursued. Among these, a special relevance had the increase of fat and protein content of milk in correlation with decreasing air temperature in the autumn season.We consider that the correlated action of temperature and relative air humidity represents the main environmental factor, specific to mountain range that influences the overall composition of milk and especially its fat and protein content.