Authors : Hemlata Pradeep Nandurkar and Rutumbhara Subhash Bhongale
Page Nos : 23-31
Description :
The nutritional composition of cattle milk, including casein, is significantly influenced by seasonal variation and the stage of lactation. Casein, a major milk protein, crucial for nutritional quality and dairy processing ( cheese production), tends to fluctuate due to environmental conditions, feed intake, and physiological changes in the cow. A study was conducted to evaluate these variations in Gir, Nagori and Gaolao cattle, a dual-purpose Indian breed known for its adaptability. The study was divided into two main periods: Period I (November to January) – representing the winter season, and Period II (February to April) – covering the early to mid-summer months. From November 2024 to April 2025 showed continuous increase in casein contents from winter (-1.7862) to onset of Summer in April (+2.2258) from +10.29% to -12.04% in Nagori and in the same duration Gaolao showed the change in casein contents from -0.0778 % to -12.2663%. Casein contents of Nagori and Gaolao breeds are maximum in the winter season and gradually declines in the summer seasons.
