Relationships among the cheese yield, the characteristics of the curd and those of buffalo milk.

Correlation coefficients were evaluated between the theoretical cheese yield (ThCY), the real yield at 4 (FCY) and 28 h (28CY), the curd dry matter (CDM) and the relationships with the percentage of proteins and milk characteristics. Milk samples were collected every 50 days from 60 buffaloes (326 samples) that were half-sibs (through paternal or maternal lineage ascertained by DNA test), bred in two farms. Positive correlations were found between FCY and 28CY and the enzymatic phase of coagulation and with the milk content in DM, proteins, casein and lipids. Negative correlations were found with lactose and urea milk content. These yields increased when the percentage of DM, proteins and hash of the curd were lower and that of lipids was higher. The 28CY is correlated with ThCY (r = 0.762; P < 0.01) and with the CDM (r = 0.809; P < 0.01). A high 28CY was also characterized by a high 28CY/% proteins ratio and CDM/% proteins ratio. The CDM was higher when the DM of milk and its content in proteins, casein and lipids were higher and when the content in lactose was lower. A correlation (r = 0.501; P < 0.01) was observed between the CDM and the DM percentage of the curd. For the other components the correlations found were the same as for the 28CY. The 28CY/% proteins enhanced at the increasing lipid content of the milk (r = 0.417; P < 0.01) and at decreasing content in urea (r = - 0.317; P < 0.01) and freezing point (r = - 0.123; P < 0.01). The CDM/% proteins was positively influences by fat (r = 0.596; P < 0.01) and lactose (r = - 0.341; P < 0.01). The ThCY/28CY was negatively influenced by "R" and by the pH value and positively correlated with the lipid content of milk.