This study aimed to assess consumer knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward dairy products from sheep and goats. A web-based survey was conducted in Latin America (Mexico and Chile), Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece, and Denmark), and Asia (Bangladesh). From March to June 2021, adult participants answered an online survey available in 5 languages. In total, 1,879 surveys were completed. Categorical and ordinal data were analyzed as frequencies and percentages. To determine the relationship between the variables for purchasing and consumption behaviors of respondents who declared that they consume dairy products, a multiple correspondence analysis was carried out. Most completed surveys were from Mexico and Italy (30% and 33.7%, respectively). Most respondents were between 18 and 29 yr old, female, highly educated, and employed. The majority of respondents (70.8%) declared that they consume dairy products from small ruminants. Consumers preferred products from both sheep and goats (49.4%); however, it was observed that in Mexico, Denmark, and Bangladesh, more than 50% preferred goat dairy products. The most-consumed products were mature and fresh cheeses. Mature cheese was the most-preferred product in Chile; in Mexico, Italy, Greece, and Denmark, it was fresh cheese. Unlike the rest of the countries, in Bangladesh, dairy product consumption from small ruminants was observed by more than 30% of respondents. In Mexico, a higher percentage of people do not consume sheep or goat dairy products because they are unfamiliar with them. In Mexico, Chile, and Bangladesh, limited market availability was also a variable responsible for nonconsumption. In European and Asian countries, sheep and goat dairy products are not consumed because consumers dislike them, in addition to a greater awareness of sustainability and climate change issues. The multiple correspondence analysis defined 5 dimensions. Dimension 1 was associated with the geographic location of the respondent (country and continent), the type of milk (sheep or goat), and the consideration of well-being and health as characteristics associated with the consumption of dairy products from small ruminants. Dimension 2 was associated with the respondent's country of origin and the frequency of consumption. Dimension 3 was associated with gender, education, and employment status. Dimension 4 was associated with the respondent's age, the association of the "healthy" concept of sheep and goat dairy products, and the consideration of the nutritional benefits of dairy as responsible for considering them healthy. Dimension 5 was associated with a "strong smell and taste" of sheep and goat dairy products. This study showed that consumer attitudes toward dairy products from sheep and goats vary between continents. In conclusion, results showed consumer interest in animal welfare and environmental impact issues related to small ruminant farming as well as a general attraction to local products. It seems that these factors contribute to consumers' perception of the quality of dairy products, so the industry and select farmers should carefully consider incorporating them into their supply chain.

Dual-purpose cattle smallholder farms (DP) exhibit a critical economic situation. The objective of this research was building a typology for DP in tropical conditions and characterizing them technologically. This will help developing more effective public policies in DP farms located in tropical conditions. A sample of 1.475 farms located in the tropical area of Mexico was selected. The typology was built using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). Subsequently, five groups were identified by a hierarchical cluster analysis with Ward’s method. Groups 1 and 2, covered a 46.5% of the farms; these ones presented a small-scale productive model with low levels of technological adoption, improvements were mainly associated to the area of reproduction and genetics. Very small farms (Group 3) showed orientation to subsistence. They need to improve all the technological areas. Groups 4 and 5 (29.4% of the sample) were the biggest and more specialized farms. Group four farms were located in dry tropics and showed the highest levels of technological adoption in the areas of reproduction, management, and feeding. These farms require improvement in the areas of reproduction, animal health, and feeding. Group 5 farms were located in the wet tropics and showed specialization in reproduction, genetics, and animal health areas. In this last group, it is necessary to improve management and feeding areas.

Lipid supplements can be used to alter fatty acid (FA) profiles of dairy products. For Chanco cheese, however, little information is available concerning effects of lipid supplements on sensorial properties. The objective of this study was to examine effects of supplementation of dairy cow diets with soybean (SO) and hydrogenated vegetable (HVO) oils on chemical and FA composition of milk and cheese and sensory characteristics of cheese. Nine multiparous Holstein cows averaging 169±24d in milk at the beginning of the study were used in a replicated (n=3) 3×3 Latin square design that included 3 periods of 21d. All cows received a basal diet formulated with a 56:44 forage:concentrate ratio. Dietary treatments consisted of the basal diet (control; no fat supplement), and the basal diet supplemented with SO (unrefined oil; 500g/d per cow) and HVO (manufactured from palm oil; 500g/d per cow). Milk fat yield was lower with HVO compared with control and SO. Cheese chemical composition and sensory profile were not affected by dietary treatment. Vaccenic (C18:1 trans-11) and oleic (C18:1 cis-9) acids were higher for SO than for control and HVO. Compared with control and HVO, SO decreased saturated FA and increased monounsaturated FA. The thrombogenic index of milk and cheese produced when cows were fed SO was lower than when cows were fed on control and HVO. The outcome of this study showed that, compared with control and HVO, supplementing dairy cow diets with SO improves milk and cheese FA profile without detrimental effects on the chemical composition of milk and cheese and the sensory characteristics of cheese.

The complexity of livestock production systems implies the interrelation of physical, technical, social, environmental, and animal factors. This study aimed (i) to classify and characterize farms in representative typologies and (ii) to point out the main factors responsible for the differences between the sheep farm typologies in Brazilian semiarid region. A structured questionnaire with 29 variables related to social, physical, livestock, technological, herd management, and productive indicators was applied to 65 sheep farmers. The farms typology was classified, characterized, and differentiated using several techniques of multivariate analysis. Three sheep production systems were identified: Emerging (16 farms): young adults farmers, medium farms and herds, intensive management, intermediate technological level, and high meat production; Conventional (40 farms): adult farmers, smallholder farms, small herds, low technological level, and low meat production; and traditional (09 farms): mature farmers, large farms and herds, extensive management, low technological level, and high meat production. Social, physical, livestock, herd management, technological, and productive factors showed discriminatory power (P < 0.05) to differentiate typologies. The family-based productive system still represents the primary sheep production system. Sheep farming in the Brazilian semiarid region is characterized as extensive, heavily dependent on natural resources, and susceptible to seasonal variations. Some common characteristics among the farms studied were the use of family labour and the predominance of extensive breeding with low stocking density. The emerging system is expanding and may represent the future of sheep farms. It is believed that the traditional system can intensify its management and migrate to the emerging system in the future. It is recommended to direct public policies that encourage the efficient succession of workers in sheep farming, adoption of technologies, and training of know-how professionals. The insertion of young farmers was considered a determining factor in the future of the sheep production system in the Brazilian semiarid region.