engleski

INDI_SHEEP_TRADI_CHEESE: Sustainable production of traditional cheeses from local sheep milk, in the Balkans: 1. Improved reproductive management of indigenous-sheep-breeds populations, 2. Ensuring of traditional cheeses hygiene and quality

INDI_SHEEP TRADI_CHEESE is a research project under the umbrella of the SEE-ERA.NET PLUS Call for Joint European Research Projects, focuses on the thematic areas AgroFood and ICT of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The project is within the subtopic a.) Preservation of indigenous species and traditional food products (in SEE/WBC). The objective of this project is to support the local producers in making safe and certified traditional cheeses from indigenous-sheep-breeds milk through A. Ensuring the supply of milk from indigenous sheep, which will be achieved on two ways: Approach 1. Rapid improvement of productivity of the indigenous-sheep-breed population by application of A.I. and MOET programs, in order to encourage breeders to use exclusively sheep of the local breed. Initially, suitable protocols for the induction of superovulation in local sheep should be established and freezabilty of ram semen and embryos should be investigated in the view of formation of a germ cell bank. Approach 2. Determination of the breed’s reproductive profile. Application of natural/ alternative methods for the control of estrus and increase of fecundity (ram-effect/light manipulation/flushing), suitable for extensive and semi-extensive, environmentally viable sheep breeding, in the view of the increasing demand for organic products in the EU market. B. Ensuring the hygiene and underscoring the qualitative superiority of traditional cheeses: 1. Evaluation of row milk quality: microbiological examination and chemical analysis of milk 2. Evaluation of cheese quality: a) microbiological examination of cheese: effect of milk pasteurization on microbial evolution, composition of NSLAB during ripening, evolution of pathogens b) biochemical analysis of cheese: chemical and biochemical characteristics during ripening and c) organoleptic evaluation of cheese. Four traditional cheeses will be studied: Ladotyri Mytilinis, Sir iz misine, Ovco belo sirenje, Sjenicki sir. Fundamentals for Improvement of reproductive management of indigenous sheep breeds: Lesvos and Pramenka (Ovcepolian, Dalmatian and Sjenicki strain) will be realized during: a. Investigation of the superovulatory response to different FSH preparations, in terms of follicular development, hormone concentrations, ovulation rate and embryo yield ; and embryo cryopreservation using antioxidants in slow-freezing and in vitrification solutions, b. Cryopreservation of ram semen by freezing diluents with different antioxidants ; using modified diluting method (two-stage addition of cryoprotectant glycerol) ; and testing soy bean extract based freezing extender. Quality of the semen will be evaluate during transcervical and laparoscopic intrauterine artificial insemination (IUAI) following either estrus synchronization or superovulation treatment. We expect that the implementation of this project a) could be the first step for the future establishment of a “germ cell bank” for important indigenous sheep breeds in the region and b) will contribute to the confirmation of the quality and hygienic status of local traditional cheeses.

european project; SEE-ERA.NetPlus; indigenous sheep; traditional cheeses; reproduction; hygiene; quality

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