Food intake, milk yield and live-weight gain of dairy cows given increased amounts of calcium-saponified fatty acids of palm acid oil

Abstract

ABSTRACTA long-term experiment (first 24 weeks of lactation) with Danish Black and White cows and a short-term experiment with Jersey cows (experiment periods of 6 weeks) were carried out. In the long-term experiment, the effect of supplementing a normal dairy ration with 0·5 kg calcium (Ca) soap, 10 kg Ca-soap or 2 kg rolled barley was investigated in two herds, where silage was given ad libitum. The daily intakes of fatty acids in the diets were approximately 625, 1000, 1400 or 650 g respectively. Energy intake increased markedly by the supplementation, but not differently between soap or barley supplementation. The effect on milk production was not consistent in the two herds. In one herd, the soap supplement tended to increase milk fat yield (80 g/day) but not more than the barley supplementation which, in contrast to the fat supplementation, also increased milk protein yield. The effect of the fat was consistent over the first 6 months of lactation. In the other herd, only small differences in milk production were obtained with either supplements. In the short-term experiment carried out in mid lactation, a supplement of 0·8 kg Ca-soap increased daily intake of fatty acids from 730 to 1280 g per cow daily. Total food intake, milk and milk fat yield were not affected by the supplement but milk protein yield and live-weight gain were significantly reduced.