Technological and Climate Factors Affecting Milk Quality of Dairy Cattle

Abstract

One of the most vulnerable spheres of human activity to environmental threats is agricultural production, which, on the one hand, is a source of significant emissions of greenhouse gases which is one of the causes of global warming, and, on the other hand, is the most dependent on its consequences. Ukraine has high positions in the world in many sectors of agricultural production. However, environmental threats are able to cause the transformation of the majority of the climatic and agricultural zones of Ukraine and make adjustments to the development of the agricultural sector of production. The consequences of climate change significantly affect agriculture, which is largely dependent on weather and climate conditions, and, accordingly, the country’s food security. The overview of the latest research on the establishment of the main technological and climatic factors affecting the quality of milk was carried out. It has been established that most researchers emphasize such natural factors as breed, seasonal changes of the year, temperature and humidity, age of the cow, stage of lactation and interval between lactations, state of health of the animal and technological factors such as housing conditions, milking technology, fodder and feeding rations, veterinary care. In different countries, cows react differently to heat stress, animals in countries with a hot arid climate with temperatures that exceed the upper critical index for a long time suffer the most. It has been proven that an increase in temperature above the critical temperature leads to oxidative stress of the body, a decrease in the content of dry matter, fat and protein in milk and an increase in somatic cells and microbial contamination of milk. Some researchers associate the predisposition or resistance to heat stress with a genetic component, others with a violation of the conditions of keeping and feeding animals. Thus, the development of further strategic programs to reduce the negative impact of climatic and technological conditions on the production and quality of milk should include breeding programs for creating populations of thermotolerant animals, adaptive technologies that reduce stress, feeding systems with the inclusion of innovative feed products that guarantee a reduction in greenhouse emissions, animal health and food safety.