The effects of over sea height of locality on some chemical, health, microbiological, physical and technological parameters of cow milk and sensorical properties of cheeses

In general, the over sea height is cumulative factor, which can influence significantly the farm conditions. This effect consists of temperature (mean year temperature), rain (sum of rainfulls), sunshine (total period of sunshine) and so on, in terms of climate, which can influence the dairy cow keeping directly and indirectly. Direct effects can influence the welfare of dairy cows in terms of hot stress for example, which could decrease a mastitis resistance of cows or their milk yield in simply way. Indirect effects can influence the dairy cows and their milk production (milk yield and milk composition and quality) by typical kinds of forages and preserved rough fodders, by their botany composition and nutritional quality. In general it is possible to say, that increasing over sea height decreases economical efficiency of dairying. On the other hand the higher over sea height is sometimes linked with pastoral system of dairy cow rearing and nourishment and more often with possibility to ecological and biodynamical agriculture application. In the fact, the mountain and submountain localities are named as less favourable areas (LFAs) in terms of agriculture efficiency and sustainability under the Czech Republic conditions. Despite of above mentioned facts, the pastoral system of dairying plays very important role for tourism development in different countries such as Alpine or Scandinavien countries, Ireland, The Netherlands or in particular in New Zealand.It could be very good to know the incidentaly possible impacts of over sea height of dairy cow rearing localities on milk quality, composition and its technological properties because of discussions about incidental dairy subsidies. Of course, in some countries including the Czech Republic, the governmental production subsidies or governmental environmental subsidies are partly linked with over sea height of localities of dairy farms, according to different calculation formulas as well.The individual milk samples, feedstuff samples (total mixed ration (TMR) on feeding trough) and mean excrement samples were collected at seven dairy cow herds and two main milked breeds of cattle (in the CR) for three years. Bulk milk samples were collected as well. It was done two times per year in winter (February, Marz) and summer (August, September) seasons. The herds were localised in lowland (N; ≤ 350 m of o.s.h.) and highland (P; > 350 m of o.s.h.) areas. The breed effect (H = Holstein and C = local Bohemian spotted