Avaliação da produção, composição e qualidade do leite em uma propriedade leiteira de grande porte no Sul de Minas Gerais

Milk production and quality can be influenced throughout the year by several factors, such as nutritional management, environmental conditions, herd health, and milking practices. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the production, composition, and microbiological quality of milk over a year on a large dairy farm located in southern Minas Gerais. To this end, a case study was conducted in an intensive milk production system, with cows housed in compost barn-type facilities, organized into different production groups, including lactating cows, dry cows, and pre-partum cows, and subjected to mechanized milking three times a day. Data regarding milk production, fat and protein content, as well as microbiological quality indicators such as somatic cell count and milk stability, were collected from a management system and provided by the farm. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis to evaluate the influence of the rainy season on the productive parameters of the property. The data were separated according to the annual rainfall (less than or greater than 50 mm), and the means were compared using Student's t-test at a 5% probability level in the R software. The results demonstrated that the property presented consistent productive and financial performance throughout the year, high productivity, and all milk quality parameters within the legal limits. The season influenced milk production and centesimal composition but did not alter the microbiological quality. It is concluded that the management adopted on the property contributes positively to the production and quality of milk produced regardless of the time of year; however, the rainy season resulted in milk with lower nutritional content.