Influence of lactation stage and fermentation environment on Kefir yield from cow’s milk
Paper Details
Influence of lactation stage and fermentation environment on Kefir yield from cow’s milk
Abstract
Kefir is a value-added fermented dairy product that can improve the profitability and sustainability of small-scale dairy farms by converting fresh milk into a nutritious product with an extended shelf life. However, limited information is available on how milk obtained at different lactation stages and simple fermentation environments influence kefir production under farm-level conditions. This study evaluated the effects of lactation stage and fermentation environment on the physicochemical properties of cow’s milk and kefir yield. A randomized complete block design was employed using nine treatment combinations consisting of three lactation stages (early, mid, and late) and three fermentation environments (thick cloth cover, closed shelf, and warmed incubator), each replicated three times. Milk was analyzed for fat, solids-not-fat (SNF), protein, and lactose, while whey volume, kefir milk volume, and kefir grain weight were determined after fermentation. Milk composition differed significantly among treatments (p<0.01). The highest fat (6.67%), protein (3.01%), and lactose (4.74%) contents were obtained from mid-lactation milk fermented in a warmed incubator, whereas the highest SNF content (7.96%) was recorded in early-lactation milk. Whey volume was significantly affected (p<0.05), with the greatest yield (119.34 mL) obtained from early-lactation milk fermented in a warmed incubator and the lowest (95.82 mL) from late-lactation milk fermented under a thick cloth cover. In contrast, kefir milk volume (221.88–240.03 mL) and kefir grain weight (6.91–8.21 g) did not differ significantly among treatments. The findings demonstrate that milk composition varies with lactation stage, while a warmed fermentation environment enhances whey production without adversely affecting kefir yield or grain growth. These results support the use of mid-lactation milk and controlled warm fermentation to optimize kefir production in small-scale dairy systems.
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