Effect of abomasal infusions of a mixture of octadecenoic acids on milk fat synthesis in lactating cows

Abstract

Diets causing milk fat depression (MFD) are known to alter ruminal lipid metabolism leading to the formation of specific biohydrogenation intermediates that exert antilipogenic effects. Several isomers of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), namely trans-10, cis-12 CLA, cis-10, trans-12 CLA, and trans-9, cis-11 CLA, inhibit mammary lipogenesis in the lactating cow, but ruminal outflow of these biohydrogenation intermediates does not account entirely for the reductions in milk fat synthesis during diet-induced MFD. Milk fat trans-10 18:1 concentrations are consistently increased on diets that cause MFD, suggesting a possible role in the regulation of milk fat secretion. Three rumen-fistulated cows in mid lactation were used in a 3×3 Latin square to evaluate the effects of a mixture of 18:1 fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) on milk fat synthesis. Experimental treatments consisted of abomasal infusions of ethanol (control), 6 g/d of trans-10, cis-12 CLA (positive control; CLA), or 247 g/d of a mixture of 18:1 FAME containing (% fatty acids) cis-9 (9.45), cis-12 (3.35), trans-10 (37.3), trans-11 (37.4), and trans-12 (2.66) as major isomers (T181 treatment). Administration of the T181 treatment supplied 92.1 g/d of trans-10 18:1. Infusions were conducted over a 5-d period with a 9-d interval between treatments. Treatments had no effect on dry matter intake, milk yield, or milk protein. Relative to the control, abomasal infusion of T181 and trans-10, cis-12 CLA treatments reduced milk fat secretion by 19.5 and 41.5%, respectively. Even though a direct cause and effect on mammary lipogenesis could not be established, comparisons with published data and considerations of the relative abundance of constituent FAME in treatment T181 implicated trans-10 18:1 as the isomer responsible. In conclusion, current data suggest that trans-10 18:1 potentially exerts antilipogenic effects and may contribute to the reduction in milk fat synthesis during diet-induced MFD in the lactating cow.