ISSN 1644-0714 ISSN 2300-6145 (online) DOI:10.21005/asp.2016.15.3.05 www.asp.zut.edu.pl Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica 15(3) 2016, 53–66 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENETIC VARIANTS OF B-LACTOGLOBULIN AND K-CASEIN AND SELECTED PARAMETERS OF THE SUITABILITY OF MILK FOR CHEESE PRODUCTION Anna Wolanciuk 1 , Joanna Barlowska 1 , Zygmunt Litwi ´ nczuk 2 , Wioletta Sawicka-Zugaj 2 1 Department of Commodity Sciences and Processing of Animal Raw Materials, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland 2 Department of Breeding and Protection of Genetic Resources of Cattle, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland Abstract. A key stage in cheese production is the coagulation of milk proteins, le- ading to the formation of a curd. The aim of the study was to determine how genetic variants of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) and κ-casein (CSN3) are linked to milk coagulabi- lity, fat dispersion and the texture of rennet curds. The material for the study consisted of blood and milk samples collected from 213 cows of four breeds: 63 PHF HO, 50 JE, 50 RP and 50 BG. BLG and CSN3 genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP. A total of 741 milk samples were evaluated, in which chemical composition, the degree of fat dispersion, and coagulation properties were determined. The texture of 228 rennet curds was evaluated. The BLG A allele was associated with significantly (P ≤ 0.01) higher content of non-fat dry matter in the milk and a lower degree of fat dispersion. The presence of the CSN3 B allele was associated with significantly (P ≤ 0.01) higher content of non-fat dry matter and significantly (P ≤ 0.01) shorter coagulation time. The curds from such milk were characterized by greater springiness, gumminess and chewiness (P ≤ 0.05). The most favourable coagulation properties were noted for the milk of cows with the CSN3 B allele. The association between the BLG alleles and the parameters of the suitability of the raw material for processing is less clear. Key words: milk protein polymorphism, rennet curd, fat dispersion  anna.wolaciuk@up.lublin.pl © Copyright by Wydawnictwo Uczelniane Zachodniopomorskiego Uniwersytetu Technologiczne- go w Szczecinie, Szczecin 2016