Impact of feeding ration supplemented with silymarin-rich extract on milk quality of goat and utilization of milk in producing functional soft-cheese

Shedeed, Sameh M.; ElSabaawy, Eman H.; Mohamed, Mamdouh I; Mabrok, Hoda B; Abd El-Wahab, Walaa M.

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2022.132914.5871

Impact of feeding ration supplemented with silymarin-rich extract on milk quality of goat and utilization of milk in producing functional soft-cheese

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Dairy Technology Department, Animal Production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

² Animal Production Department, Agricultural and Biological Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

³ Nutrition and Food Science Department, Food Industries and Nutrition Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

⁴ Animal Nutrition Department, Animal Production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/ejchem.2022.132914.5871

Abstract

Silymarin is a flavonoid complex extracted from the milk thistle plant and acts as a strong antioxidant. Using natural compounds as additives in livestock nutrition could be a new goal in livestock production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a ration containing different levels of silymarin-rich extract (10, 20, or 30 g) on fatty acids profile, production and quality of goat milk; and producing functional cheese from milk. Egyptian Nubian pregnant goats (n=16) were divided into four groups. Group 1 fed on a control ration. Groups 2, 3, and 4 were fed on a control ration and orally administrated with different levels of silymarin-rich extract at 10, 20 or 30 g/day, respectively. The feeding experiment lasted 4 months. The results showed that silymarin-rich extracts improved milk composition and quality by increasing protein and fat concentrations. Milk yield was significantly increased by silymarin-rich extracts supplementation. Feeding goats on rations supplemented with silymarin-rich extracts altered nutritional value of milk by increasing unsaturated fatty acids and decreasing the saturated fatty acids levels. Cheese produced from goat milk showed a high content of fat and protein. Sodium dodecil sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of cheese-protein showed that adding the silymarin-rich extract to the goat feed increases the protein level in particularly β-casein, αs1-casein and αs2-casein. It could be concluded that using silymarin-rich extracts in rations of goats improved milk production, milk quality, and milk fatty acids. Silymarin-rich extracts improved the quality of goat cheese.

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