Effect of supplementation with cracked wheat or high moisture corn on milk fatty acid composition of grazing dairy cows

Abstract

In Chile, high moisture corn (Zea mays L. [HMC]) has been included mainly in diets for grazing dairy cows on pastures with high crude protein, and is an alternative that improves nutrients supply and rumen synchrony between energy and protein provided by the diet. In addition, supplementation with HMC results in an increase of fatty acids (FA) in milk, desirable for human health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of herbage allowance (HA) and type of supplement on milk FA composition in grazing dairy cows during spring. Thirty-two multiparous Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (533 ± 71 kg BW; 53 ± 4 d in milk [DIM] and milk yield 23.8 ± 4.2 kg d-1) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments resulting from the combination of two HA levels (low 20 vs. moderate 30 kg DM cow-1 d-1) and two types of supplements HMC and cracked wheat [Triticum aestivum L., CW]) offered at 3.5 kg DM cow-1 d-1. Total FA intake was greater for moderate HA (547.8 g d-1) than low HA (527.2 g d-1) (P < 0.05); but did not affect milk yield, milk constituents and milk FA composition (P > 0.05). Supplementation with HMC increased milk production by 2.3 kg d-1 compared with CW. Cows supplemented with HMC showed a greater intake of total FA (564 g d-1) and had greater concentrations of long-chain monounsaturated FA in milk (27.13 g 100 g-1) compared to cows supplemented with CW (511.0 g d-1 total FA intake and 25.39 g 100 g-1 in milk, respectively) (P < 0.05). It is concluded that grazing dairy cows supplemented with HMC during spring produced milk with higher concentrations of desirable FA, independently of the HA level.

Effects of high moisture ear corn on production performance, milk fatty acid composition, serum antioxidant status, and immunity in primiparous dairy cows

“…In this study, feeding HMEC resulted in lower concentrations of SFA and higher concentrations of MUFA. Previous literature has shown that feeding HMEC helps cows consume polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) precursors, leading to an increase in the content of PUFA in the milk [4], which similar with the present findings. This difference in fatty acid content between steam-flaked corn and HMEC, along with the combined effect of the rumen environment and different rations, could have influenced rumen biohydrogenation and, subsequently, the fatty acid content of the milk.…”

“…Milk production is a paramount indicator used to evaluate the performance of dairy cows, and it is influenced by various factors, with ration nutrition being one of the most significant [ 13 ]. Rojas-Garduño et al [ 4 ] found that feeding HMC (3.5 kg DM/cow/d) to dairy cows led to a significantly increased milk production of 2.3 kg/d. In the present study, the milk yield significantly increased in the 50% HMEC group and the 100% HMEC group by 0.81 kg and 1.18 kg, respectively, which similar with previous research findings.…”

“…Due to its high starch and fat content and small starch granules after fermentation, HMC is a high starch energy feed [ 3 ]. Rojas-Garduño et al [ 4 ] demonstrated that feeding HMC (3.5 kg DM/cow/d) significantly increased milk production and enhanced the concentration of unsaturated fatty acids in milk. Furthermore, it was discovered that feeding HMC can lead to increased ruminal starch digestion rate, feed efficiency, and microbial protein production [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Productive and economic response to concentrate supplementation by grazing dairy cows at high stocking

“…Herbage DM intake was estimated, indirectly, once during each measurement period from animal performance results (15,16) as follows:…”

Milk fatty acid profile of dairy cows fed diets based on sugarcane bagasse in the Brazilian region

“…The manipulation of FA profile of ruminant milk through changes in diets has been the subject of several studies, since milk fat contains numerous bioactive compounds with potential beneficial effects on human health. In addition, certain diets may induce the ruminal formation of specific FAs (e.g., conjugated linoleic acid , which inhibits mammary lipogenesis, with a consequent reduction in milk fat content (Garduño et al, 2018).…”