COUNTING OF SOMATIC CELLS, PROTEIN, UREIA AND CASEIN OF SHEEP MILK SANTA INÊS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe the variations of the somatic cell count (CCS), protein, urea and casein of Santa Inês sheep milk and to evaluate the correlation between CCS and milk chemical components. The experiment was conducted at the goat breeding and sheep farming Laboratory of the Goiano Federal Institute - Rio Verde Campus. The ewes were milked once daily in the morning, and afterwards the milk was transferred to vials containing bronopol® preservative. The samples were conditioned in iceboxes and sent to the Milk Quality Laboratory of the Federal University of Goiás for electronic analysis. Statistical analyzes were performed using descriptive statistics (WEBCALC, 2018) and expressed as mean, minimum and maximum values ​​of CCS, protein, urea and casein. The correlation was made using Excel software 2007, using the tool CORREL, considered from 0.00 to 0.19 very low correlation; 0.20 to 0.39 low correlation; 0.40 to 0.69 moderate correlation, 0.70 to 0.89 high correlation and 0.90 to 1.00 high. Finally, the graphical representation of the mean values ​​of protein, casein and casein / protein ratio were obtained using Excel software 2007. The casein / protein ratio presented results compatible with that of other studies, the protein was negatively correlated with CCS and urea, and proportionally with casein, corroborating the result of CCS that was inversely proportional to urea and casein. The Santa Inês sheep milk has a low somatic cell count, a higher protein content than bovine milk and a high casein / protein ratio.