CARACTERÍSTICAS FÍSICO-QUÍMICAS DE LA LECHE DE OVEJAS RAMBOUILLET BAJO MANEJO INTENSIVO. Physicochemical Characteristics of Rambouillet Ewes's Milk Under Intensive Management.

The aim of this work was to determine the physicochemical composition of Rambouillet ewe’s milk in intensive management for this, 36 Rambouillet ewes, 2-5 years old, with an average body weight of 60 kg, that had given birth to a single lamb, were utilized during 12-week lactation period. Milk simples were taken in weeks 1, 3, 6, 8 and 12 and the physicochemical analysis was performed utilizing traditional laboratory methods. The statistical analysis was carried out utilizing the “R” statistical package with total solids, fat, protein, lactose, ashes, real acidity, density, and pH as dependent variables, and lactation stage as the only independent variable. Overall means for the milk composition were: total solids 16.89 ± 2.14%, fat 5.78 ± 2.09%, protein 5.26 ± 0.49%, lactose 4.54 ± 0.35%, ashes 0.92 ± 0.07%, real acidity 2.05 ± 0.30%, density 1.036 ± 2.9 x 10 –3 and pH 6.68 ± 0.17. There were significant differences (P 0.05). From week 6 on there was an increase in total solids, fat, protein, and density; lactose and ashes had a decrease in weeks 12 and 8, respectively, whereas real acidity had an increase from week 1 on. Physicochemical characteristics of Rambouilet ewes’s milk are not very different from those found in other breeds, for which it is possible to utilize the milk of these ewes for short periods and process it with industrial purposes, mainly in cheese.