The impacts of a multispecies sward grazing system and stage of lactation on the processing-efficiency and compositional characteristics of milk and Cheddar cheese

This study investigated Cheddar cheese manufacturing, using milks derived from biodiverse multispecies swards (MSS) or perennial ryegrass (PRG) monocultures, at mid- and late-lactation. The macro-composition and fatty-acid-profiles of milks were broadly equivalent, but MSS-derived milks had significantly higher protein and phosphorus contents, and significantly lower somatic cell counts, compared to PRG-derived milks. No significant differences in rennet coagulation properties were observed, and MSS-derived cheese had a typical macro-composition. Increased cheese yields resulted from MSS compared to PRG; actual yields of 11.13 % and 10.58 % respectively, and moisture-adjusted cheese yields adjusted for fat and protein of 18.78 % and 18.25 % respectively. As agri-food industries adapt to maximise efficiency and sustainability, investigations are required to pre-empt any possible negative consequence to milk or product quality. As such, within this study, MSS grazing did not appear to adversely impact the processing-efficiency of milk into Cheddar.