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The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of herbal supplements administered to goats on sensory quality and volatile flavor compounds in their milk. The experiment was conducted on sixty Polish white improved goats randomly allocated into five feeding groups (four experimental and one control) of twelve goats each. The trial lasted 12 weeks. The experimental animals received supplements containing a mixture of seven or nine different species of herbs at 20 or 40 g/animal/day. The control group received feed without any herbal supplements. Milk obtained from experimental and control groups of animals was characterized by a low content of aroma compounds, with only 11 chemical compounds being identified. Decanoic methyl ester, methylo 2-heptanone and methylo-butanoic methyl ester had the highest share in the total variability of the tested aroma compounds (PCA). During the sensory evaluation, the smell and taste of most of the samples were similar (p > 0.05). However, the addition of herbal feed supplements lowered the concentration of Caproic acid (C6:0), Caprylic acid (C8:0) and Capric acid (C10:0), which caused a significant reduction in the goaty smell of milk. The obtained results indicate that the studied herbal supplements can reduce the intensity of goaty smell and allow goat milk production without modification of other sensory features. more...

Sixty dairy goats of the Polish white improved breed were randomly assigned to five feeding groups of twelve animals each. The animals received a supplement containing seven herbs at 20 or 40 g/animal/day (experimental groups 1 and 2) and a supplement containing nine herbs at 20 or 40 g/animal/day (experimental groups 3 and 4)m, along with pelleted concentrate feed. Group 5 (the control group) received pelleted feed without any herbal supplements. A significant effect of herbal feed additive on lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count was observed (p < 0.001). The highest number density of LAB was found in the goats receiving the feed additive with nine herbs at 20 g/animal per day (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant effect of lactation stage on intestinal LAB count (p < 0.001). Regardless of the feeding group, the highest number density of LAB was found in animals at the peak of lactation. The LAB count was also affected by the interaction of diet group × lactation stage (p < 0.0001). A probiotic strain of Lactobacillus fermentum was identified in the faecal samples of goats receiving the herbal additive, but not in the controls. Genetic identification of the microorganisms isolated from the faeces of the experimental goats did not reveal the presence of harmful mould spores, although spores of the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus were detected in the controls. more...

The content of alkaloids and flavonoids and the yield of herb were analyzed in greater celandine cultivar ‘Cynober’ during six following phases: spring rosette for-mation, the beginning of flowering, full bloom, green fruit, seed harvest, fall rosette formation. Yield of celandine herb was different at the investigated phases and in years of cultivation. The highest yield of herb was observed at the beginning of flowering, then a decrease was noticed, up to the phase of seed harvest, when the yield grown up. The low-est yield of celandine herb was obtained in last phase – fall rosette formation, except 2011 when the lowest yield was in spring rosette formation. The average content of alkaloids was the highest in phase of green fruit (1.097%), while in 2012, the highest content was reached in phase of fall rosette formation – 1.200%. The lowest content of alkaloids was obtained in herb of the beginning of flowering (0.608%) in both years. The mean content of flavonoids was from 0.310% (the beginning of flowering) to 0.522% (seed harvest) and was the same in both years. The stable high content of total alkaloids and flavonoids and individual alkaloids was noticed in phase of fall rosette. Our results suggest that seed maturity is the best time for celandine herb harvest regarding the herb yield and content of alkaloids and flavonoids. more...