Improving the Quality of Milk Fatty Acid in Dairy Cows Supplemented with Soybean Oil and DHA-Micro Algae in a Confined Production System

Abstract

The objective was to reduce saturated fatty acids (SFA) and increase conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, cis-9, trans-11 C 18:2 ), α-linolenic (cis-9, cis-12, cis-15

Improving Concentration of Healthy Fatty Acids in Milk, Cheese and Yogurt by Adding a Blend of Soybean and Fish Oils to the Ration of Confined Dairy Cows

“…A lower milk fat content (−5.4%) was also detected (P < 0.11) in samples taken from the tank reflecting an overall negative effect of oil intake over the total herd. Milk fat content decrease (9.24% to 5.4%) was close to the average value of 8% reported for grazing dairy cows [26] but lower than the 28.6% observed in our previous work using the SO (0.72 kg•cow −1 •day −1 ), micro-algae (0.144 kg•cow −1 •day −1 ) combination [20].…”

“…The absence of a net depressant effect (P = 0.19) of supplementary PUFA on butyric acid (C 4:0 ) content of Mod-Milk (Table 4) was also observed in our previous study [20] being a result frequently reported [28]. This FA is only found in ruminant milk and has shown antineoplasic effects inhibiting the development of mammary carcinoma in rats [39] and hence is considered to play a potential beneficial role in human health.…”

“…These results were not confirmed in the present work since the inclusion of SO at 3.5% of DM intake decreased milk production. In our previous trial using corn-silage as forage source in the TMR, the inclusion of SO at 3% of DM intake increased milk production [20]. In the present experiment, the shift from corn to pasture-silage could probably explain the observed slight decrease (−6.7%) in milk production (Table 3) owing to a lower palatability of the ryegras silage linked to its little bitter taste.…”

“…As the consequence of a lower milk production after oil supplementation, milk protein output remained constant (P < 0.96) averaging 1.07 kg protein cow −1 •day −1 ( Table 3). The increase in milk protein content is a desirable effect not observed in our previous work using a mix of SO and microalgae [20]. A higher protein concentration improves the industrial aptitude of milk for cheese making and determines the speed and quality of coagulation.…”

“…The inclusion of oils rich in polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) in the ration of dairy cows allows modifying the milk and dairy FA profile in a sense that may be favorable to human health [19] [20]. In dairy cows, intake of linoleic acid (cis-9, cis-12 C 18:2 ) contained in SO is a quick and effective tool to inhibit the mammary synthesis of the potentially atherogenic FA and to increase the milk CLA content [21].…”