Koca, DavutTurgut, Ali OsmanÇetin, NebiÜner, SefaGülendağ, ErmanKaragülle, Bahtiyar2024-12-242024-12-2420232149-33592149-8644https://doi.org/10.36483/vanvetj.1353378https://search.trdizin.gov.tr/tr/yayin/detay/1233264https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12604/4940The objective of this study was to uncover the milk composition traits of Norduz sheep, which are bred in the Gürpınar district of the Van province, during the mid-term lactation period. The chosen ewes exhibited no signs of clinical or subclinical mastitis. A total of 104 sheep milk samples were meticulously collected to undergo comprehensive milk composition analysis. The chemical and physical attributes of Norduz sheep milk were methodically determined utilizing a milk autoanalyzer. The mean values for various milk constituents were as follows: milk fat (%), 2.48±0.11; solids-not-fat (SNF) (%), 10.76±0.08; milk protein (%), 5.09±0.04; lactose (%), 4.79±0.04; pH, 6.93±0.02; conductivity (mS/cm), 4.41±0.04; freezing point (°C), -0.602±0.80; salt (%), 0.8035±0.66; and density (kg/m3), 1039.73±0.39. Noteworthy negative and statistically significant correlations were observed between milk fat and protein (r=-0.36, p<0.001), milk fat and SNF (r=-0.32, p<0.001), as well as milk fat and lactose (r=-0.36, p<0.001). Conversely, positive and significant correlations emerged between SNF and milk protein (r=0.90, p<0.001), SNF and salt (r=0.87, p<0.001), and SNF and lactose (r=0.90, p<0.001). In summation, the protein content of Norduz sheep's milk exceeded that of the majority of sheep breeds reared in Türkiye. These findings carry the potential to make a valuable contribution to enhancing the milk composition of Norduz sheep.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessMilkLactationSheepMilk proteinArticle343271274123326410.36483/vanvetj.1353378