Objectives

The objective is to implement some profitability indicators of buffalo breeding through specific studies aimed at improving of the milk:

- develop predictive models by using managerial and economic information into the statistical models, for the identification of indicators of profitability, linked to production, animal welfare, reproductive and sustainability aspects;

- reduce the number of animals, keeping cheese production constant, through careful genetic improvement programs;

- Improvement of breeding and, in particular, milking techniques ;

- Identification of new nutraceutical metabolites in milk and mozzarella cheese;

- Improvement of the supply chain traceability system.

Activities

A preliminary investigation will be carried out based on the Test-Day records carried out in the farms associated with ARAC in the last 5 years (WP1). n the 2 farms partner of the project 2 groups of buffaloes will be created, fed with isoproteic and isoenergetic diets but different for the fodder base. Productions will be recorded monthly and individual milk samples (30 / group) (WP2/3). The information obtained in WP1 and WP2 will be analyzed for the identification of indicators and benchmarks for the improvement of the profitability and sustainability of the supply chain and prediction models for the technological characteristics of milk (WP4). Accompanying and dissemination measures (WP5).