Influence of breed, year season and lactation stage on the buffalo milk mineral content

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the milk mineral composition of buffalo raised in Corrientes, Argentina, as well as to investigate variations attributed to breed, lactation period and time of the year. Milk samples (n = 105) were collected from 25 Murrah, Mediterranean, Jafarabadi and half-breed Murrah x Mediterranean buffaloes of second and fifth lactation. Animals were located in a dairy farm area with subtropical wet climate with 1.690 mm annual rains and annual mean temperature of 22°C. Mean records were: Ca (1.12 ± 0.40 g.kg-1), P (0.99 ± 0.32 g.kg-1), Mg (0.08± 0.02 g.kg-1), K (0.92 ± 0.25 g.kg-1), Na (0.35 ± 0.11 g.kg-1), Cu (0.35 ± 0.16 mg.kg-1), Mn (0.27 ± 0.10 mg.kg-1), Zn (4.10 ± 1.40 mg.kg-1) y Fe (1.61 ± 0.61 mg.kg-1). These parameters did not reveal significant differences attributable to breed, except for Mg. The time of the year affected the composition of the minerals, except for the Mg and Zn. The nursing stages affect the Ca, P, K and Cu concentrations. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the mineral content in the milk of buffaloes, it is considerably influenced by regional factors.