Characterization of Spreadable Goat Cheese from Animals Fed with Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) Cladodes as a Productive Alternative in Arid and Semiarid Areas

In northwestern Argentina, goat milk producers feed animals with corn and alfalfa, which implies high costs. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of feeding dairy goats with cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller) cladodes as a substitute for corn on the quality of spreadable cheese and analyze it as a productive alternative in arid and semiarid areas. To this end, twenty Anglo-Nubian–Criolla goats were randomly divided into two groups of 10 animals each: One fed with a mix of corn (Zea mays L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and pasture, and the other fed with cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica L. Miller) cladodes, alfalfa, corn and pasture. Milk collected at the end of the experiment was used to make spreadable cheese. The cheese obtained from animals fed with the mix of cactus cladodes, alfalfa, corn and pasture showed no significant differences in fat or protein content. In addition, this cheese was whiter and brighter and showed significantly higher values of vitamin C than the cheese obtained from animals fed with corn, alfalfa and pasture. No significant differences were observed in the content of short-chain fatty acids or linoleic acid between samples. The cheeses obtained from both groups were rheologically similar. These results suggest that feeding dairy goats with opuntia cladodes as a substitute for corn represents an inexpensive alternative that allows obtaining cheese with characteristics and composition similar to that obtained from animals fed conventionally. This strategy would be especially useful in arid and semiarid areas.