Effect of rice bran crude lecithin blended diet on rumen ecology, metabolic profile, and milk fat indices affecting human health

Abstract

Two experiments are conducted to find out the effect of rice bran crude lecithin on rumen ecology, milk fat quality, metabolic indices, and leptin (LEP) gene expression.In first experiment, 12 crossbred calves are randomly divided into two groups, that is, RBCL-0 and RBCL-6, and they are fed wheat straw based diet with concentrate mixture containing 0% RBCL (CM1) and 6% RBCL (CM2), respectively, for 120 d for rumen fermentation study. Ruminal ammonia-N and short chain fatty acids and rumen microbes are nonsignificantly affected in RBCL calves. In second experiment, 12 lactating cows are randomly divided into RBCL-0 and RBCL-6 groups and fed CM1 and CM2 concentrate along with napier grass as roughage. In milk fatty acid profile, C16:1 fatty acid is significantly lower while cis-C18:1 is significantly higher in the RBCL supplemented cows. The atherogenic index and thrombogenic index are 16 and 19% lower while health promoting index, polyunsaturated saturated fatty acids, and hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic are 16, 10, and 16, respectively, higher in RBCL-6 cows. The mean nonesterified fatty acid and β-hydroxy butyric acid value is lower while LEP gene expression is higher in RBCL supplemented cows than control cows. The milk income is higher in RBCL cows. Finally, it can be concluded that RBCL at 6% in concentrate mixture of dairy ration do not adversely affect the rumen ecology. Although RBCL has capacity to enhance health properties of milk fat along with profitability, still more studies are warranted.Practical applications: Cow milk has always been an important component of the human diet in the world. The milk composition, especially fat, is directly influenced by feeding regime in dairy animals. In the milk fat, the unsaturated fatty acids (mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids) help in improving the health condition of consumers along with the keeping quality of milk. In this series, rice bran crude lecithin was used in the dairy ration and found that it altered certain metabolic parameters and gene expression, which may be beneficial for animal health without altering rumen fermentation.Although RBCL substantially modify the milk fatty acid profile and improves the fat indices which will enhance the human health by protecting them from cardiovascular diseases.