The main source of variation were breed, lactation phase and parity order. The overall objectives of the present thesis were to assess the phenotypic variation of i) yield, chemical composition and somatic cell ii) minerals composition iii) fatty acids composition and iv) technological traits in milk of five Italian local goat breeds (Garganica, GA Girgentana, GI Jonica, JO Maltese, MA and Mediterranean Red, MR) and one cosmopolitan breed (Saanen, SA).
Moreover, local breeds are well adapted to their original environment, showing a better resistance to disease in addition, several studies found that local breeds yield milk with better milk composition than cosmopolitan breeds. Hence, preserving local breeds from extinction is a significant action that aims not only to maintain ancient local traditions but also to support local economies in marginal areas. However, the refuse of locals in favour of more productive breeds implies a gradual decrease in number of animals and may lead to the extinction of the local breed causing the genetic erosion of the species. Generally, the cosmopolitan breeds received major attention by farmers and dairy industries for their greater milk yield than local breeds. Studies on goat milk have mainly focused on dairy cosmopolitan breeds and very limited information is available on local breeds. 08.01 - Tesi di Dottorato UNIPD (Deposito Legale).
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