Assessment of the productive qualities of dairy cows of different breeds and their impact on the quality of soft cheeses

Abstract

Introduction. The choice of dairy cattle breed is a determining factor influencing both animal productivity and the technological properties of milk. For Russian producers in the Volgograd region specializing in cheese-making, there is a lack of scientifically substantiated recommendations for selecting a breed that ensures an optimal combination of milk yield and raw milk quality for soft cheese production. The most common cattle breed in this region include Holstein, Black-and-White, and Red Steppe. In this regard, an assessment of the dairy productivity and milk quality of cows from these breeds for industrial processing appears to be a relevant and justified study.
Aim. To present a comparative assessment of the dairy productivity of Holstein, Black-and-White, and Red Steppe cows, using the Volgograd region as a case study, and to analyze the suitability of their milk for soft cheese production.
Materials and methods. The study was conducted on 30 full-aged cows, with 10 head of each breed, across three farms in the Volgograd region over 305 days of lactation in 2024. Milk samples were analyzed for mass fraction of fat, protein, amino acid composition, heat stability, and cheese-making suitability. Soft cheese samples were produced from the milk of each group, and their physicochemical parameters, organoleptic properties, and amino acid profile were evaluated.
Results. The highest average daily milk yield was recorded in Holstein cows (30.4 kg), which was 53.3% and 72.4% higher than that of Black-and-White and Red Steppe cows, respectively. Milk from the Black-and-White breed was characterized by the maximum fat (4.12%) and protein (3.30%) content. Milk from the Holstein breed was distinguished by the highest content of essential amino acids, particularly lysine. Soft cheese made from Holstein milk was superior to samples from other breeds in fat content (18.31%), protein content (17.78%), total amino acid sum, and received the highest organoleptic evaluation (43 points out of 45).
Conclusion. The high productivity and milk quality indicators of the studied cow breeds under the conditions of the Volgograd region were confirmed. Processing milk from each breed for soft cheese production is feasible; however, soft cheese produced from Holstein milk exhibits the best consumer characteristics and nutritional value.

To cite: Slozhenkina M.I., Gorlov I.F., Mosolova N.I., Antipova T.A., Kudryashova O.V., Mosolova E.A., Sycheva O.V. Assessment of the productive qualities of dairy cows of different breeds and their impact on the quality of soft cheeses. Agrarian Bulletin of the North Caucasus. 2026;16(1):55-68. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31279/2949-4796-2026-16-1-55-68