Physical-Chemical Composition of Milk and Fiber Quality in Hair
Goats and the Phenotypic Correlations between Milk Composition and
Fiber Traits
Bahattin Cak1*, Orhan Yilmaz1
and Elvan Ocak2
1Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of
Veterinary Medicine, University of YuzuncuYil, 65080 Van, Turkey; 2Department of Dairy Technology,
Faculty of Food Engineering, University of
YuzuncuYil, 65080 Van, Turkey *Corresponding author:delta-1923@hotmail.com;
bahattincak@yyu.edu.tr
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate physical-chemical composition of
milk and fiber quality in Hair goats and to evaluate the phenotypic correlations
between milk composition and fiber traits. The mean values of milk fat, protein,
lactose, non-fat solid, total solids, lactic acid and pH in Hair goats’ milk
were 4.09, 3.53, 5.15, 9.36, 13.45, 0.22% and 6.61, respectively. The mean
values of fiber length, fiber diameter, breaking strength, fiber elasticity and
clean hair yield were 9.13cm, 80.93μm, 13.67g, 35.89% and 91.61%, respectively.
The effect of lactation stage on physical-chemical parameters of milk was
significant (P<0.05). Fat content of milk was highly and positively (P<0.01)
correlated (0.71) with total solids. Protein was highly and positively (P<0.01)
correlated with lactose (0.99), non-fat solid (0.98) and total solids (0.68)
contents. There were not significant correlations between all fiber parameters.
The phenotypic correlation between fiber diameter and protein content of milk
was -0.54 and between fiber diameter and total solids was -0.36 and between
fiber diameter and lactose was -0.51. In conclusion, fat content of milk was the
lowest in the early lactation stage. Protein, lactose, non-fat solid and total
solids contents were the highest in the mid lactation stage. pH was the highest
in the late lactation stage. The diameter of the fibers of hair obtained from
Hair goats was high. Also, results indicate that there was highly and positively
correlation between fat and total solids, protein and lactose, protein and
non-fat solid, protein and total solids contents. However, there was significant
negatively correlation between fiber diameter and protein content of milk, fiber
diameter and lactose, fiber diameter and total solids.