A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the influence of live yeast culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on milk production, composition, and blood biochemistry of dairy ewes during the machine milking period.The control group (CD) was fed a concentrate mixture and hay and grazed twice daily, while the second (YS3) and third (YS6) groups were fed the same diet supplemented with 3 or 6 g of live yeast culture (Yea Sacc 1026 ), respectively. The treated groups had significantly higher values (p < 0.05) for fat corrected milk (FCM) (1221, 1116 and 940 g/day, for YS6, YS3 and CD group, respectively) and fat-protein corrected milk (FPCM) (1204, 1103 and 931 g/day, for YS6, YS3 and CD group, respectively), while the values for milk yield, fat yield and lactose yield were higher (p < 0.05) only in the YS6 group compared to the CD group. Milk yield values were constantly higher in the YS6 group than in the control group while the values for the YS3 group were more variable during milking. Milk composition was not significantly affected by yeast supplementation with the exception of urea values which were lower (p < 0.05) in the YC6 group. Yeast administration influenced β-hydroxy-butyrate (BHB) values, which were higher (p < 0.05) in the treated groups; and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) values, which were higher (p < 0.05) only in the YS6 group compared to the control group. Other blood biochemistry values were not influenced by the treatments.We conclude that supplementation with live yeast culture, under the conditions of our experiment, had a significant effect on the performance and metabolism of grazing dairy ewes during the machine milking period. Based on more constant results, we could recommend the inclusion of live yeast culture (Yea Sacc 1026 ) at 6g/animal/day as appropriate for field conditions.

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) was used for identification of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris strains isolated 40 years ago from various dairy homemade products. Total genomic DNAs from six randomly chosen isolates and the reference strain Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NIZO B64 were amplified using four different 10-mer primers. Although most RAPD fragments were common to all six isolates, a sufficient number of polymorphic fragments were also detected that allowed clear distinction of the isolates and the reference strain. The results indicate that RAPD analysis could be a useful and efficient method to distinguish Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris at the strain level and to detect genetic diversity.

U većini zemalja svijeta kobilje mlijeko oduvijek je bilo cijenjeno zbog svojih ljekovitih svojstava pa se danas sve više koristi u prehrambenoj, kozmetičkoj i farmaceutskoj industriji, te kao zamjena humanom mlijeku u prehrani novorođenčadi. Procjenjuje se da oko 30 milijuna ljudi u svijetu konzumira kobilje mlijeko. Posljednjih godina kobilje mlijeko postaje i u Hrvatskoj sve interesantniji proizvod zbog svog specifičnog sastava i svojstava. Kobilje mlijeko danas je predmet brojnih istraživanja i rasprava zbog optimalnog omjera kazeina i proteina sirutke te visoke probavljivosti, što ga čini prihvatljivim za prehranu dojenčadi. Cilj rada je prikazati kemijski sastav te najvažnija svojstva kobiljeg mlijeka kao i mogućnosti njegove primjene. Zbog visokog udjela proteina mliječnog seruma, kobilje mlijeko je bogat izvor esencijalnih aminokiselina i pogodno je za prehranu ljudi. Lipidi kobiljeg mlijeka sadrže manje triacilglicerola (oko 80 %) za razliku od humanog i kravljeg mlijeka (oko 98 % u oba mlijeka), dok je veći udio fosfolipida (oko 5 %) i slobodnih masnih kiselina (oko 9 %) u usporedbi s kravljim i humanim mlijekom. Kobilje mlijeko sadrži visoku koncentraciju višestruko nezasićenih masnih kiselina, nizak sadržaj kolesterola, visok udio laktoze te vitamina A, B i C.

The consumption of raw milk from vending machine in Croatia has increased in recent years. However, its health safety is insufficiently investigated and controlled. The objective of this study was to investigate the suitability of raw milk consumption, from 28 vending machines from 3 counties in Croatia during one-year research period, based on the physicochemical and hygiene quality. Also, the simulation of psychrothrophic bacteria growth has been conducted in order to determine its optimal storage time because of their unfavorable effect on the milk quality. The physicochemical composition of milk samples (n=320) was determined by the infrared spectrometry (chemical composition) and cryoscopic method (freezing point), while hygiene quality was estimated with a total bacterial count (TBC) and a somatic cell count (SCC). Microbiological analyses included determining the presence of Enterococcus spp., Pseudomonas spp. and the pathogenic species. Satisfactory quality of raw milk was established in 95% (chemical quality) and 70% unadulterated samples (without added water). The prescribed hygiene quality was met by 36.6% (TBC) and 71.9% (SCC) samples.Of total 320 samples, the presence of bacteria in genus Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. was confirmed in 93.4% and 96.9% samples, respectively, and bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Lysteria monocytogenes was confirmed in 32.2%, 27.5% and 3.8% samples. The finding of Salmonella spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica was negative. At the end of the study improvement of the microbiological quality of raw milk from vending machines was established. The results indicate the need for systematic control and obligate thermal treatment of raw milk before consumption.

Krk cheese is a hard, full‐fat cheese made from raw sheep's milk, characterized by a delicate, full and strong flavour. The aim of this study was to determine farm influence on the chemical composition of sheep's milk for Krk cheese production, and the chemical characteristics of Krk cheese during ripening. Gross composition of the milk used complies with the average sheep's milk composition from the Croatian Adriatic region. During ripening, fat, protein, salt content and lactic acid concentration increased (P < 0.01), as well as the water‐soluble nitrogen fraction and the 12%‐trichloroacetic‐acid‐soluble nitrogen fraction (P < 0.05). Degradation of β‐casein could be an indicator of the ripening quality of Krk cheese.