Milk production and nutritional quality of cheese obtained from goats fed a diet based on pasture and olive pomace

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a diet based on grazing and the incorporation of olive pomace on the nutritional quality of goat milk and cheese. Conducted in the province of Tizi-Ouzou, this research focused on a herd of Saanen dairy goats, divided into two distinct groups: a control group (T) and an experimental group (GP) that received olive pomace as a supplement to their pasture-based diet. Three milk samples were collected at 15-day intervals, with a progressive addition of olive pomace to reach approximately 150g. Physicochemical analyses of the milk indicate a slight increase in the fat content in the GP group compared to the T group, with values of 6.11% and 5.66%, respectively, along with pH values of 6.19 and 6.35 for the T and GP groups, respectively. However, regarding the physicochemical characteristics of the cheeses, the results do not reveal remarkable differences in values between the control and experimental groups for the various parameters studied. Overall, this study opens up avenues for considering the use of local by-products such as olive pomace to enhance animal nutrition and dairy production thereby contributing to a more sustainable and economically advantageous agriculture for the farmer.