Abstract
A feeding experiment with 40 lactating Holstein cows and 4 dietary treatments was conducted to investigate supplementation with different levels of alcohol fermented feed to the TMR on lactating performance, blood metabolites, milk fatty acid profile and cholesterol concentration of blood and milk. Forty Holstein lactating cows (106±24 d post-partum; mean±SD) were distributed into four groups and randomly assigned to one of four treatments with each containing 10 cows per treatment. The treatment supplemented with TMR (DM basis) as the control (CON), and CON mixed with alcohol-fermented feeds (AFF) at a level of 5%, 10% and 15% of the TMR as T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Dry matter intake and milk yield were not affected by supplementation of AFF. An increased 4% FCM in the milk occurred in cows fed T3 diet compared with CON, while T1 and T2 diets decreased 4% FCM in a dose dependent manner. Supplementation of AFF increased the concentration of albumin, total protein (TP), ammonia, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol in serum compared with CON. In contrast, supplementation with AFF clearly decreased concentration of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and total cholesterol (TC) compare with CON. AFF supplementation increased the proportion of C18:1n9 and C18:2n6 compared to CON. A decrease in the concentration of saturated fatty acid (SFA) for T1, T2 and T3 resulted in an increased unsaturated fatty acid (USFA) to SFA ratio compared to CON. Concentration of cholesterol in milk fat was reduced in proportion to the supplemental level of AFF. Feeding a diet supplemented with a moderate level AFF to lactating cows could be a way to alter the feed efficiency and fatty acid profile of milk by increasing potentially human consumer healthy fatty acid without detrimental effects on feed intake and milk production. A substantially decreased cholesterol proportion in milk induced by supplementation AFF suggests that alcohol fermented feed may improve milk cholesterol levels without any negative effects in lactating cows.
Highlights
Alcohol is one of the important intermediates formed during fermentation of forage and agriculture by-products
CON = The dairy Holstein cows were fed TMR only; T1 = Fed TMR supplemented with alcohol-fermented feeds (AFF) at a level of 5% of the TMR; T2 = Fed TMR supplemented with AFF at a level of 10% of the TMR; T3 = Fed TMR supplemented with AFF at a level of 15% of the TMR; 4% FCM = Energy corrected yield corresponding to milk containing 4% fat; milk urea nitrogen (MUN) = Milk urea nitrogen; somatic cell counts (SCC) = Somatic cell counts; Feed efficiency = Milk yield/feed intake; 4% FCM feed efficiency = 4% FCM yield/feed intake
CON = The dairy Holstein cows were fed TMR only; T1 = Fed TMR supplemented with alcohol-fermented feeds (AFF) at a level of 5% of the TMR; T2 = Fed TMR supplemented with AFF at a level of 10% of the TMR; T3 = Fed TMR supplemented with AFF at a level of 15% of the TMR; blood urea nitrogen (BUN) = Blood urea nitrogen; total protein (TP) = Total protein; TG = Triglyceride; total cholesterol (TC) = Total Cholesterol; HDLC = High density lipoprotein-cholesterol; gamma gluctamyl transpeptidas (GGT) = Gamma glutamyl transpeptidas; glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) = Glutamic pyruvic transaminase; glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) = Glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase
Summary
Alcohol is one of the important intermediates formed during fermentation of forage and agriculture by-products. The addition of an adequate amount of alcohol to beef diets has been known to be desirable to improve feed efficiency and meat quality. Shin et al (1995) observed a higher alcohol concentration in steers fed alcohol fermented feed (AFF), and it was speculated that there was an amount of alcohol absorption from AFF diet into the blood via the rumen wall. Lin (2001) observed that production of total volatile fatty acid and propionate in rumen were affected by supplementation of alcohol-added feed or alcohol-fermented feed, and may improve body weight gain of Korean native steers by decreased protein degradation as well as increased fat synthesis (Lin et al, 2005). The present study was undertaken to investigate supplementation of different level of alcohol fermented feed to the TMR on lactating performance, blood metabolites and milk fatty acid profile in Holstein lactating cows
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