Effect of the inclusion of lemon leaves and rice straw by-products in the diet of dairy goats on the quality characteristics of milk and matured cheeses

Abstract

[EN] The effect of the dietary inclusion of lemon leaves and rice straw by-products on the quality characteristics of goats' milk and cheese was evaluated. Twenty-six Murciano-Granadina goats were used in a crossover design experiment; milk from each experimental group was collected to produce 60-days matured cheeses. Fat and dry matter content was higher in milk and cheeses from the diet containing by-products; medium-chain fatty acids and total free fatty acids were lower. Triangle tests revealed significant differences in the organoleptic characteristics of the cheeses between diets. However, when sensory attributes differentiating cheeses were evaluated individually, differences did not become significant. The inclusion of lemon leaves and rice straw in balanced diets with soya oil could be beneficial, as it does not appear to adversely affect the quality of milk and related mature cheeses, contributing to the reduction of the cost of the diet and the recycling of agricultural by-products.

(c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).