The impacts of a typical dairy cow crossbreeding strategy on Cheddar cheesemaking efficiency, nutrition and quality

Background Crossbreeding can be utilised in animal husbandry to increase genetic diversity and improve health and fertility in the next generation. In dairy herd management, a common strategy involves crossbreeding Jersey (JE) cows with Holstein‐Friesians (HF), resulting in Jersey‐Holstein‐Friesian (JFX) progeny. Aim(s) This due‐diligence study aimed to investigate the impact of these genotypes on processing efficiency and product quality within the Cheddar manufacturing process. Methods Cheddar cheesemaking trials were completed using HF and JFX derived milks, and the composition and yield of the resultant cheeses were determined. The ripening characteristics of these cheeses were then investigated over a six‐month maturation period. The study was completed in triplicate; mid‐lactation milk was collected on three occasions in August 2022, from a grazing farm systems experiment at Teagasc, Moorepark. Cows had been divided into JFX and HF groups, each group consisting of 25 cows randomised for age, yield, and parity. All were grazed on a typical pasture diet of perennial ryegrass. Major findings On average, raw JFX milk had significantly higher total protein (+ 5.68%) and fat (+ 13.20%) compared to HF milk. However, producing Cheddar with standardised milks resulted in no significant differences in milk coagulation properties or cheese yield. All cheese compositions were within the range of expected values for Cheddar. No meaningful differences resulted in texture, proteolysis and pH during the ripening period, and no significant differences were observed in volatile‐organic‐compounds and fat profiles between the HF and JFX derived cheeses. Scientific or industrial implications From a due‐diligence perspective, it was not evident from this analysis that JFX phenotypes cause practical negative impacts on the cheesemaking ability of milk or adversely influence final cheese quality. Furthermore, cheese derived from JFX milk was more yellow in colour, with significantly higher b* values, which is indicative of preferable sensory and nutritional quality.