Fatty acid and mineral composition of Italian local goat breeds

This study investigated chemical, fatty acid (FA) and mineral composition of milk from 5 Italian goat breeds: Garganica (GA), Girgentana (GI), Jonica (JO), Maltese (MA) and Mediterranean-red (MR), and 1 cosmopolitan breed (Saanen, SA). A total of 39 multiparous dairy goats reared in the same herd were sampled monthly during lactation. Milk chemical composition, FA and minerals (n=237) were determined by Fourier Transform infrared, gas-chromatography and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, respectively. Data were analysed using a mixed linear model that accounted for breed, week of lactation and parity as fixed effects, and animal and residual as random terms. Local breeds (LB) produced less (P<0.05) milk (1.40, 1.40, 1.20, 1.06 and 1.25 kg/d for JO, MA, RM, GI and GA, respectively) than SA (1.82 kg/d). Milk fat (%) did not differ (P>0.05) among breeds. Saturated FA and C16:0 were the most abundant FA in milk (75.5 and 23.5% of identified FA, respectively). Mainly differences between SA and GI where observed (P<0.05) for some individual and group of FA. Milk of SA had greater (P<0.05) C14:0 and C16:0, and lower (P<0.05) C18:0, C18:1n9, Unsaturated FA (UFA) and Monounsaturated FA (MUFA) than GI milk. On average, SA milk had greater (P<0.05) conjugated linoleic acid content than milk of LB (1.10 vs 0.88% of identified FA, respectively). Concerning mineral composition (ppm), goat milk was richer in Ca (1,073), P (794) and Na (364). Differences among breeds where observed (P<0.05) only for Na, P, Mg and Zn. Week of lactation affected (P<0.05) all the studied traits, whereas parity affected (P<0.05) the UFA and MUFA content. This study is a first characterization of milk FA and mineral composition of Italian goat breeds reared in the same herd. Results might be useful for biodiversity issues and to valorise the dairy products of those local breeds.