Achieving Sustainable Production of Milk ― Milk Composition, Genetics and Breeding

Cow’s milk is one of the world’s most important agriculturalfood products. Its importance in the diet is widely acknowledged and it is anessential ingredient in a wide range of foods. In meeting rising demand, moreintensive dairying systems face a range of challenges such as maintaining highstandards of safety in the face of the continuing threat from zoonoses enteringthe food chain, whilst sustaining nutritional and sensory quality. At the sametime farms need to become more efficient and sustainable. Finally, farming mustalso meet higher standards of animal health and welfare. Smallholder systems indeveloping countries face problems such as poor cattle nutrition, lowproductivity and vulnerability to disease which impact on safety, quality,sustainability and animal welfare.

Drawing on an international range of expertise, this bookreviews research addressing these challenges. It begins by discussing thecomposition of milk including proteins and bioactive components, the wide rangeof ingredients produced from milk, as well as aspects sensory quality. It alsoreviews current understanding of genetic factors affecting protein and otheraspects of milk composition, other desirable traits such as fertility andadvances in breeding to achieve improvements in quality and productivity indairy farming.

Achieving sustainableproduction of milk Volume 1: Milk composition, genetics and breeding willbe a standard reference for animal and dairy scientists in universities,government and other research centres and companies involved in milk production.It is accompanied by two further volumes which review safety, quality andsustainability issues as well as dairy herd management and welfare.