Abstract
1329 Effects of dietary fat source on performance of lactating dairy cows fed a pre-mixed concentrate
Highlights
Fat supplementation is common in lactating dairy cattle diets, as it has potential to positively affect milk production
Fat supplementation tended to increase milk yield compared with no added dietary fat, but there was no difference between fat sources
Milk protein concentration decreased with the addition of fat, to a greater extent for Megalac than for Energy Booster; milk protein yield was unaffected by treatment
Summary
Fat supplementation is common in lactating dairy cattle diets, as it has potential to positively affect milk production. Response to added fat can vary between fat sources, depending on the degree of saturation, digestibility, and the effect of fat on rumen microbial populations. A variety of fat sources are commercially available; saturated fats, as well as different forms of protected unsaturated fats, have minimal toxic effects on rumen microbes and fiber digestibility, and can be incorporated in lactation diets at up to 3-4% of diet dry matter. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of saturated or unsaturated fat sources increases milk production efficiency of lactating Holstein cows fed a diet containing OneTrak®, a premixed concentrate
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