Influence of the nature of alpine pastures on plasmin activity, fatty acidand volatile compound composition of milk

The influence of pastures on milk characteristics was studied in natura in the Abondance cheese area (Haute-Savoie, France) on 10 diversified pastures exploited by 3 dairy farmers. The effects of the herd were controlled and measured by feeding an identical hay to herds. The plasmin activity and the concentration of long-chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids in milks produced in mountain pastures (n = 5, 1 500 and 1 850 m) were significantly higher (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05 respectively) than in milks from valley pastures (n = 5, 850 and 1 100 m). The terpene composition of milk was linked to the t erpene composition of pastures. Milks from the pastures rich in dicotyledon s, in particular Apiaceae, contained a greater quantity and a wider variety of terpenes, than milks from the pastures rich in Gramineae. The other vol atile compounds, casein composition, calcium and phosphorus contents did no t seem to be influenced by the type of pasture.