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Studies on goat milk have mainly focused on cosmopolitan breeds and very limited information is available on local breeds, which is important for biodiversity preservation and local cheese production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the breed effect on milk yield, composition and somatic cell score (SCS) of five local Italian goat breeds (Garganica, Girgentana, Jonica, Maltese and Mediterranean Red) compared with a cosmopolitan specialized dairy breed (Saanen). A total of 60 goats (10 per breed) from an experimental farm were enrolled in the study. Milk yield, composition and SCS were recorded and analyzed every 2 weeks during the entire lactation. Data were analyzed using a mixed model with repeated measures. Saanen yielded between 0.27 and 0.62 kg day−1 more milk than the local breeds. Among local breeds, Maltese and Jonica were the most productive, with an average of 1.28 and 1.25 kg day−1, respectively, while Mediterranean Red, Garganica and Girgentana produced ≤1 kg day−1. Saanen had the highest SCS (6.81) and the lowest fat content (3.26 %). In relation to protein, Garganica showed the greatest content (3.71 %), and Saanen had a similar content to other local breeds (3.42 %) except for Maltese, which was lower (3.11 %). Saanen and Garganica had the lowest lactose percentage (4.28 % and 4.26 %, respectively). All breeds followed a similar pattern across lactation: SCS and fat and protein content peaked at the end of the lactation, whereas lactose percentage was highest at the beginning of the lactation. Differences between Saanen and the local breeds for milk yield, composition and SCS were consistent across lactation. In conclusion, local breeds produced less milk but with lower SCS and greater fat and lactose content than the Saanen cosmopolitan breed, suggesting a better milk quality.

This study aimed to describe metabolic, oxidative, and mineral blood profiles of Saanen does through lactation compared with Mediterranean breed clusters (Maltese and Rossa Mediterranea, and Jonica, Garganica, and Girgentana). Milk and blood samples of 57 dairy goats (9&ndash, 10 goats per breed) were collected from the 2nd to the 30th week of lactation every 2&ndash, 3 weeks. Saanen showed greater milk yield and somatic cell score, and lower fat and protein percentage through lactation (p &lt, 0.05) than the Mediterranean breed clusters. Blood analysis revealed that stage of lactation had a greater impact than breed cluster, except for uric acid, alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate aminotransferase. Plasmatic non-esterified fatty acids indicated a greater negative energy balance in Saanen than the other breed clusters during early and medium lactation stages (p &lt, 0.05). Serum Cl, Mg, and Ca increased in all the breed clusters from early to the following stages of lactation (p &lt, 0.05). No significant prooxidant/antioxidant imbalances were detected in any of the three clusters during the entire lactation. In conclusion, Mediterranean breeds tended to recover earlier from negative energy balance than Saanen, but effects of breed or stage of lactation on long-term oxidative stress indicators were not evident.

Native goat breeds play an important role both in the safeguarding of biodiversity and the development of local economy. This study aimed to evaluate milk coagulation properties (MCP) of local (Garganica, Girgentana, Maltese, Mediterranean Red) and cosmopolitan (Saanen) goat breeds. From May to August 2018, 46 goats were sampled monthly in an experimental farm; milk samples were analysed for fat, protein and lactose percentages, pH, SCC and MCP. Data were evaluated through a mixed linear model with repeated measures, including breed, month of lactation and parity as fixed effects. Month of lactation affected all studied traits, and breed affected MCP, protein percentage, lactose percentage and pH. Milk composition and coagulation properties were better in local breeds than Saanen. In particular, milk of local breeds was richer in protein percentage, and coagulated and reached 20 mm of curd firmness on average 3.14 and 2.56 min earlier than Saanen, respectively. Moreover, the firmest curd was observed in Girgentana (31.44 mm) and the weakest in Garganica (21.72 mm). Rennet coagulation time and curd firmness decreased towards the end of lactation, differing significantly between May (10.62 min and 31.69 mm, respectively) and August (8.33 min and 20.69 mm, respectively), whereas curd-firming time only differed between May and June–July. In conclusion, milk of local breeds showed better milk coagulation ability than the cosmopolitan breed.Highlights Breed and month of lactation were important sources of variation of goat MCP. Local goat breeds showed better MCP than Saanen. Valorisation of the milk from the local breeds might be a tool to preserve native genetic resources.

Fatty acid (FA) profile plays an important role on human health and on sensory quality of dairy products. There is few information about breed influence on milk FA profile of local goat breeds. This study aimed to characterize and compare the milk FA profile of 5 local endangered goat breeds (Garganica, Girgentana, Jonica, Maltese, and Mediterranean Red) and a cosmopolitan breed (Saanen) reared in the same farm during a complete lactation. A total of 252 milk samples were collected monthly from 42 goats (7 goats per breed) and analyzed for gross composition and FA profile. Individual FA was determined using gas-chromatography. Data were analyzed using a mixed model with repeated measures with breed and week of lactation as fixed effects. Results showed that the FA profile was significantly affected by week of lactation and only few FA by breed effect (p &lt, 0.05). Overall, the main differences were found between Saanen and local breeds. This study contributed to the characterization of goat milk FA profile, and it may be of interest for the valorization of milk from local goat breeds which seem to have a healthier profile than milk of the cosmopolitan breed.

Very little information about local breed goat milk is available, which is relevant for biodiversity preservation and local cheese production. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of breed and week of lactation on milk mineral profile of five Italian local breeds (Garganica, Girgentana, Jonica, Maltese and Mediterranean Red) and a cosmopolitan breed (Saanen). Sixty goats (10 per breed) from an experimental farm were enrolled in the study and sampled every 2 weeks for milk gross composition analysis. In addition, an individual milk sample was collected monthly from 42 goats (seven goats per breed) for mineral determination through inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Data were analysed using a mixed linear model with repeated measures, including breed and week of lactation as fixed effects. Week of lactation affected mineral contents, except for B, being lower in early than late lactation, whereas, breed affected only P, Mg and Zn. Mediterranean Red and Jonica breeds&rsquo, milk was richer in P than Maltese, and in Zn than Maltese, Girgentana and Saanen breeds. For Mg, only Saanen differed from Maltese. Such information might be useful for the valorisation of goat milk produced by autochthonous breeds.