MINERAL CONTENT OF MILK FROM DAIRY SHEEP BREEDS

The aim of the present study was to determine the mineral content of milk from three dairy populations of sheep: the synthetic population Bulgarian milk, the East-Friesian and the Awassi breeds. 97 sheep of the Synthetic population Bulgarian milk in the IAS (Institute of Animal Science) – Kostinbrod, Bulgaria, 92 sheep from the EastFriesian breed and 67 sheep from the Awassi breed in the IAS (Institute of Animal Science) – Skopje, Macedonia, were investigated. The milk samples were taken and analyzed on every 20-th day, during a period of 100 days (the Spring inc. both raised indoors and in pasture for the Synthetic population Bulgarian milk and the Awassi, but the East-Friesian breed was raised only indoors). The contents of major elements calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (Р) were determined in IAS – Kostinbrod by the colorimetric method with the mixed fuel gauge for calcium and on the base of the reaction to РО4 (–3) by (NH4)2MoO4 for phosphorus. The trace elements content – lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) was determined by the Atom Absorbing System in the Central laboratory of veterinary – Sanitary investigation and ecology, Sofia, Bulgaria. The ratio of calcium and phosphorus was accounted. The data were calculated by variation statistic methods by the computer programme Excel 2003. The contents of calcium and phosphorus in the milk of the sheep of the Synthetic population Bulgarian milk (150 mg/100 g, and 125.78 mg/100 g), the East-Friesian (155.8 mg/100 g and 150.29 mg/100 g) and the Awassi (139.4 mg/100 g and 163.95 mg/100 g) were established. The ratio Ca : P was in the optimum borders for the milk sheep of the Synthetic population Bulgarian milk and the East-Friesian breed (1.19 and 1.05) and it was lower for the Awassi breed (0.85). The established content of trace elements in the milk from the studied breeds is lower than the permissible one for the raw sheep milk. The obtained results for the mineral content of the sheep milk from the three breeds, breeding in the different areas of the Balkan, characterized it as an appropriate raw material for the production of dairy products that are healthful for the human milk products.