The aim of this trial was to study the effect of milking Salers cows without their calf on milk composition, clotting ability and cheese quality. Holstein cows were considered as control. The study involved 24 primiparous Salers (S) and 12 Holstein (H) cows milked with their calf (C, 15 S and 6 H) or without (Ø, 9 S and 6 H). Seven Cantal cheeses were made with raw milk from each lot (SC, SØ, HC, HØ) and analyzed after a 22-week ripening period. For H cows, no effect of the milking without their calf was observed on milk composition and clotting ability, and cheeses characteristics. SØ cheeses could not be analyzed because of an abnormal coagulation of the milk of 3 cows from this lot. In comparison to H cheeses (HC, HØ), SC cheeses had a lower fat content, a firmer and less melting texture and their flavour developed more slowly. Those specific characteristics are mainly linked to the low fat content of the milk of the Salers milked with the calf. This latter result raises the question of possible losses of Salers cheeses typicality when Salers cows are milked without their calf because in this case, fat content of the milk increases and reaches values similar to Holstein cows.