Impact of weaning system on composition and yield of a semi-soft ovine-milk cheese

A semi-soft, brined cheese was produced from frozen early lactation ovine-milk collected from two weaning systems. Weaning systems were: (1) ewes weaned from their lambs at 24 h postpartum, ewes machine milked twice daily, and their lambs raised artificially (DY1); and (2) beginning 24 h postpartum, ewes separated from their lambs for 15 h during the evening, ewes machine milked once daily in the morning, and their lambs allowed to suckle for 9 h during the day (MIX). Total solids and milk fat were lower in the milk from ewes in the MIX weaning system which resulted in a lower cheese yield than milk from ewes in the DY1 weaning system. However, if both milks were standardized to comparable casein:fat ratios, cheese yields and fat and protein recoveries during cheese manufacture were comparable. Upon aging and drying of the cheeses, cheeses from the DY1 weaning system treatment did retain more moisture which resulted in higher cheese yields in the aged cheeses. Differences in cheesemaking potential of early lactation milk from the two different weaning systems can be eliminated by standardization to an equivalent casein:fat ratio prior to cheese manufacture.