Application of oilseed feeding to reduce firmness of hard cheeses producedin the winter feeding period

Modified feeding of dairy cattle has been described frequently as an approp riate tool to improve rheological properties of fat based dairy products, e specially butter, made in the winter feeding period. Controlled feeding exp eriments with subsequent small-scale cheese-making trials were performed to determine potential effects of oilseed feeding on chemical and physical pr operties of hard cheeses. Replacement of 1 kg grain by 1 kg shredded rapese ed in the daily cattle diet resulted in a significant increase of the amoun t of unsaturated fatty acids in the milk fat. The diet did not affect the f at, protein or lactose content of the milk, the cheeses' gross composition or proteolysis. However, cheeses (approx. 60% dry matter, 50% fat in dry ma tter) made from milk of the experimental group were significantly lower in firmness as expressed by the modulus and fracture stress measured by uniaxi al compression than cheeses made from milk of the control group. The differ ences were also evident in sensory experiments. In accordance with results from a subsequent large-scale feeding experiment, oilseed feeding might be considered as an appropriate tool to reduce firmness differences between ch eeses of summer and winter feeding periods. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.