AVALIAÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DO COLOSTRO E DO LEITE DE TRANSIÇÃO DE VACAS JERSEY

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of colostrum and transitional milk of Jersey cows and compare them with the legal parameters. A study was carried out with 12 Jersey cows in the Southern Region of Rio Grande do Sul. Colostrum was evaluated on the first day and transition milk on the fifth day postpartum. We analyzed: density, stability to the alcohol test and titratable acidity. On average the quality of colostrum was moderate. Transition milk presented values of density and composition of normal milks by legislation, however, presented low stability in alcohol (66.3%) and high titratable acidity (21.8°D). The results indicate that the transition milk of the fifth postpartum day did not present adequate physical and sanitary characteristics for raw refrigerated milk. A postpartum period of more than five days is recommended so that milk can be harnessed for industrialization.