Effect of Linseed Oil Beads Addition With Vitamin E on Performance, Blood Metabolites and Milk Yield of Lactating Goats

Abstract

his study aimed to determine the effects of addition of capsulated linseed oil (beads) alone or in combination with vitamin E (α-tocophyrol acetate) as feed additives on animal performance, blood plasma and milk fatty acid (FA) profiles during lactation period. Twenty four Damascus pregnant doses of about 44.5 ± 1.2 kg live body weight were randomly allotted to 3 groups of 8 doses each and assigned to receive one of three experimental diets: control group: where goats were received berseem hay and concentrate feed mixture (50:50) without any additives, (CON), LO group: goats were offered control diet plus 2.5 gm beads/head/day and LO+VE group: goats were offered control diet plus 2.5 gm beads plus 600 IU VE/head/day. The experiment lasted for about 135 days (from mid pregnancy and lasted 60 days post-partum). Results showed that LO beads inclusion strongly increased milk yield, fat (P<0.01), protein, lactose, total solids yield (P<0.05) and milk fat % (P<0.05) compared with control. Blood plasma γ-linolenic acid was positively affected by beads while C20:2ω6 was increased (P<0.05) by beads plus VE. Moreover, beads inclusion reduced lauric (C12:0), myristic (C14:0) and palmitic (C16:0) (P<0.05) acids while increased contents of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) as oleic (C18:1ω9) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as γ-linoleic (C18:3ω3) (P<0.01) and C18:4ω3 (PP<0.05) compared with control milk. As a consequence reduction of the proportions of total SFA (P<0.01), total omega-6 FAs (P<0.05) and omega-6: omega-3 ratio and enhanced the proportions of unsaturated FAs (UFA) and omega-3 FAs (P<0.01) resulted in health quality of goat's milk was improved. In addition, some of blood plasma metabolites were improved with beads where plasma createnine, cholesterol (PP<0.05) and lipase activity (P<0.01) were decreased compared with control animals. Plasma urea (P<0.05), triglycerides (TG) (P<0.01), low density lipoprotein (LDL) (P<0.05), high density lipoprotein (HDL) (P<0.01) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (P<0.05) were increased while lipase activity was decreased with VE addition. The inclusion of VE combined with LO beads didn't result in benefits in goat's products. Further in vivo studies should be undertaken to explore suitable level of vitamin E in association with protected form of useful and healthy fatty acids.