Twenty multiparous Jersey cows, paired according to previous lactation yield and expected date of calving, were given two diets in a cross-over experiment in early lactation. The diets had forage:concentrate ratios maintained at 3:7, the forage being wilted grass silage and the concentrate either a proprietary dairy cake or the same cake containing saliva salts (SS) at 40 g/kg dry matter. The SS diet proved acceptable to the animals and had no effect on gestation length or calf survival. Absolute milk yields were not affected, but the SS diet caused a significant increase in the proportions of milk fat, total solids (both P < 0·001) and protein (P < 0·05) and in the yield of fat-corrected milk (P < 0·001). Analysis of rumen liquor samples showed that giving the SS diet resulted in a significant increase in the molar proportion of acetate and a decrease in the proportions of propionate and to a lesser extent butyrate. Milk fat content showed significant correlations with ruminal acetate (r = 0·67), propionate (r = −0·59) and the acetate: propionate ratio (r = 0·64).

Numerous attempts to develop in-line Systems for the measurement of the electrical conductivity of milk as an aid to the detection of mastitis have been described. The major technical problem of fouling of electrodes exposed to milk has been overcome in the sensor tested here by use of an inductive System of measurement. The practical application of this System in the milking parlour is reported. The novel mastitis sensor has been shown to detect incipient mastitis before there are visible signs of abnormal milk. Conductivity measurements have the advantage over other diagnostic procedures in that the information is available immediately without additional effort. Normalized conductivity and milk yield variation results indicate the potential for developing a practical, automatic System for mastitis detection.

Bacteriological analyses, cell counts using the Fossomatic method and California Mastitis Test were performed on 1523 goat milk samples taken aseptically at monthly intervals throughout lactation from three goat herds. Of the goat udders, 81·4% were infected, minor pathogens being the most frequent isolates (65·7%). Differences in the level of infection by minor pathogens were found betwccn herds. Cell counts were influenced by stage of lactation and intramammary infection. Cell counts < 106 cells/ml were found in 80% of milk samples infected by major pathogens and in 45% infected by minor pathogens. About 81% of udders infected with major pathogens gave California Mastitis Test scores of 2 and 3, compared with 20% for uninfected goats. A high proportion (65%) of udders infected with minor pathogens also produced scores of 2 and 3. A significant positive correlation was found between the California Mastitis Test and cell counts. The use of cell counts for the detection of abnormal goat milk is discussed.

Cleaning of inorganic membranes after ultrafiltration (UF) of skim milk has been assessed using hydraulic, physicochemical and spectroscopic (i.r. and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) measurements. A cleaning sequence using hypochlorite alone or hypochlorite followed by HNO3 restored the membrane hydraulic resistance, in contrast to cleaning with HNO3 alone. When using NaOH, addition of Ca complexants (EDTA, gluconate, tripolyphosphate) and surfactants was required to obtain similar results. Three types of criteria (hydraulic, kinetic, chemical) are available to assess the effect of the sequestrant and surfactant types. In all the cases studied, traces of protein and Ca were detected on and within the membrane after cleaning. Nevertheless, it was concluded that it is possible to develop a single-step alkaline product to clean inorganic milk UF membranes if suitable surfactants and Ca sequestrants are included in its formula.

Discontinuous PAGE at alkaline and acid pH, polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing, two dimensional electrophoresis and immunoblotting have been used to study the heterogeneity of sheep caseins. Three main phenotypes were selected either because of mobility at alkaline and acid pH of the individual αs components or because of their relative intensity. On electrophoresis at alkaline pH, one phenotype showed two distinct bands of lower electrophoretic mobility than β,- and β2-caseins. A detailed study of these components using immunospecific detection with β-casein antiserum showed that these minor components of ovine casein may have a polypeptide chain similar to that of β1- and β2-caseins. Complete electrophoretic patterns of the casein components in some individual milks are also presented.

Effects of long-term deep-freeze storage on the stability of fat in raw sheep's milk were assessed by measuring free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations, lipoprotein lipase activity and the amount of solvent-extractable fat. Portions of milk from three herds were frozen and stored at – 12, – 20 and – 27 °C. There was a gradual increase in FFA during 6 months storage, the rate of lipolysis being affected by storage temperature and differences between herds. After 6 months storage the residual lipase activity was only 2% (– 12 °C), 11% (– 20 °C) and 24% (– 27 °C) of the initial activity in fresh milk. The potential for lipolysis in the stored samples, after they were removed from storage and allowed to thaw to 4 °C, gradually fell as storage time was prolonged. This may be due to the loss of lipase activity.

The nature and composition of the saturated oxo fatty acids in Cheddar cheese have been re-evaluated following isolation by moern chromatographic procedures, including low-pressure column chromatography and HPLC (adsorption and silver ion modes). The oxo fatty acids were identified and quantified (for the first time) by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in the form of the methyl ester derivatives and many of the structures were confirmed similarly by preparing picolinyl ester derivatives. Thirty-six saturated oxo fatty acids were identified, ranging in chain length from 9 to 22 with an oxo group on carbons 4–17 (except for 12), of which twenty-one had been identified in a previous study and fifteen were new. Fifteen fatty acids tentatively identified by others did not in fact appear to be present.

Mesophilic lactic starters and thermophilic lactobacilli but not Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus grew on the sodium lactate agar (SLA) used for estimating the numbers of propionic acid bacteria (PAB) in cheese. The addition of cloxacillin (4 μg/ml) to SLA inhibited the starter bacteria but had no effect on the PAB. It was possible to count low numbers of PAB in the presence of high numbers of starter bacteria. A correlation coefficient of 0·9 was obtained between the level of propionic acid and the counts of PAB in cheese (n = 40). A disadvantage of the medium is that other bacteria found in cheese (mesophilic lactobacilli, enterococci, Clostridium tyrobutyricum) also grow on it; however, these bacteria are easily distinguishable from PAB on the basis of size, colour and absence of catalase.

Lysogenic strains of Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus were studied using induction with mitomycin C (MC). The induction and presence of temperate phage were investigated carrying out tests on sensitive strains, electron microscopy and phage DNA analysis. Forty-five Str. salivarius subsp. thermophilus strains were subjected to induction with MC and growth of the various cultures was evaluated. Only one strain of those tested showed lysis after adding MC, thus indicating a possible lysogenic state, 0·5 μg MC/ml being the optimal dose. Two Φ18 phage-sensitive strains out of 45 were isolated in which this phage behaved as virulent, causing lysis of the culture in broth, but no lysis plaques on agar medium were detected. The St18 strain was cured by u.v. irradiation but no mutants sensitive to the Φ18 phage were found among the clones non-inducible by MC. The presence of phages having a hexagonal isometric head and a long non-contractile tail in the lysate obtained after inducing the St18 strain was confirmed by examination under the electron microscope. Study of the phage DNA showed a genome size of 40·9 ± 0·5 kb without cohesive end fragments. In addition, the restriction map of the phage genome was constructed. This study has demonstrated lysogeny in Str. salivarius subsp. thermophilus and also that several phage infections of Str. salivarius subsp. thermophilus starters may have an ‘endogenous’ origin.

Ewes' milk coagulation was significantly influenced by the type of rennet when recombinant chymosin produced by Kluyveromyces lactis was compared with two commercial calf rennets with declared chymosin contents of 55 and 70%. Recombinant chymosin and calf rennet with 70% chymosin exhibited similar thrombelastographic characteristics, and coagulated milk more rapidly than calf rennet with 55% chymosin. The type of rennet had no effect on Manchego cheese dry matter, pH or recovery of dry matter in cheese. N soluble at pH 4·6 was the only N fraction influenced by the type of rennet, with slightly higher levels for cheese made with recombinant chymosin or with calf rennet containing 70% chymosin than for that made with rennet containing 55% chymosin. No significant differences in rheological or sensory characteristics between Manchego cheese made with recombinant chymosin and that made with the calf rennets were detected.

Part of the milk used for manufacturing Domiati cheese was replaced by buttermilk at rates of 0, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60%. The fat and SNF contents were standardized at 5 and 10% respectively. The hypocholesterolaemic effect of buttermilk when incorporated into cheese was tested with rats by including cheese manufactured with and without buttermilk mixed in their diet at a rate of 30% for a period of 60 d. When the diet containing Domiati cheese free from buttermilk (control cheese) was given to rats, there were highly significant increases in serum and liver cholesterol. However, when part of the milk used in manufacturing Domiati cheese was replaced by buttermilk the increases in serum and liver cholesterol concentrations were reduced. These reductions were proportional to the proportion of buttermilk incorporated in the milk used to manufacture the cheese. When 50% of the milk used for Domiati cheese was replaced by buttermilk the hypercholesterol-aemic effect of Domiati cheese was nullified and the serum and liver cholesterol concentrations were restored to their normal values. The effect of replacing 50% of the milk used in the manufacture of Domiati cheese by buttermilk on the quality of the cheese was tested periodically during the ripening period. The buttermilk improved the flavour of the cheese whilst only slightly affecting its ripening.