Effect of Whole Cottonseeds and Calcium Salts of Long-Chain Fatty Acids on Performance of Lactating Dairy Cows

Abstract

Holstein cows were assigned to diets containing no supplemental fat, supplemental fat from whole cottonseed, or supplemental fat from whole cottonseed plus Ca salts of fatty acids (Megalac). The TMR contained 46% forage and 54% concentrate or mixtures of concentrate and whole cottonseed on a DM basis and were fed from wk 3 through 44 of lactation. The mean fat content of the three diets was 3.0, 4.7, and 6.4% of DM for control, whole cottonseed, and whole cottonseed plus Ca salts of fatty acids, respectively. Supplemental fat increased NEL intake, percentage of milk fat, milk fat production, and rate of recovery of BW and body condition. Supplemental fat decreased milk protein production in early lactation, but not in late lactation. Addition of supplemental fat had no significant effect on ruminal concentration of VFA, NH3 N, or in situ digestibility of fiber. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids in milk fat was increased with supplemental whole cottonseed or whole cottonseed plus Ca salts of fatty acids. During the first 3 mo of lactation, the proportion increased of fatty acids C14 or less, C16, and C18:2. Proportion of fatty acids C16:1 and C18:1 correspondingly decreased. The change in composition of milk fatty acids during early lactation is consistent with the use of body fat for milk synthesis.

Concentration of trans-vaccenic and rumenic acids in the milk from grazing cows supplemented with palm oil, rice bran or whole cottonseed

“…A higher milk fat concentration and a lower milk production in cows consuming the supplement containing cottonseed resulted in a fat production similar to that of the other two diets. Some researchers did not find any cottonseed effect on milk fat concentration or on milk fat production (Bitman et al, 1996), while others report an increase (Belibasakis and Tsirgogianni, 1995;Harrison et al, 1995) or a decrease (Wilks et al, 1991;Smith et al, 1993) in these parameters.…”

Effect of Fatty Acids on Reproductive Performance of Ruminants

“…Other studies suggest that when lipids are included in the ration of cows to increase energy density, caloric balance is improved which directly influences hypophysis-gonadal activity postpartum (Harrison et al, 1995), increasing, in principle, the amplitude and frequency of secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) in animals (Sklan et al, 1994). In this respect, de Luna et al (1982), reported an increase in the secretion of luteinizing hormone in ovariectomized cows treated with GnRH and supplemented with beef tallow.…”

Advances in gossypol toxicity and processing effects of whole cottonseed in dairy cows feeding

“…In heifers fed WCS (0, 150 and 300 g/kg) for 430 d, EF was higher for the 300 g/kg diet on days 230 and 430 (Colin-Negrete et al, 1996). In dairy cattle fed a diet with 120 g/kg WCS (average of 2.8 kg/d WCS) throughout lactation, no adverse signs were observed (Harrison et al, 1995). Barraza et al (1991) fed cows a 150 g/kg WCS diet containing 23 g/d of FG, which is close to its suggested toxicity threshold, for 4 weeks, and did not find signs of gossypol toxicity.…”

“…Under mild weather conditions, in dairy cattle consuming diets that were similar in energy and fiber content, supplementation of 150 g/kg WCS was associated with increased DM intake . Harrison et al (1995) checked the effect of 120 g/ kg WCS feeding on DM intake in two herds of dairy cattle, while maintaining a similar dietary fiber level. In one herd, DM intake increased and in the second, DM intake decreased with WCS supplementation.…”