Milk biofortification through dietary supplementation of combined selenium, vitamin E and sunflower oil

Abstract

• dietary sunflower oil and antioxidants increased selenium and alpha-tocopherol levels in milk from Jersey cows. • milk biofortification achieved by dietary supplements of antioxidants and sunflower oil. • increased selenium and alpha-tocopherol levels in milk increase nutritional value for humans. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of selenium and vitamin E (antioxidants) and sunflower oil added to the diet of lactating cows to improve the milk nutrient profile. The trial had a completely randomized block design carried out with 32 Jersey cows distributed into four treatments: Control; Antioxidants (3.5 mg of organic selenium/ kg in dry matter (DM) + 2000 IU of vitamin E/day); Sunflower oil (SFO, 4% of sunflower oil/kg in DM); Antioxidants + SFO (3.5 mg of organic selenium/ kg in DM + 2000 IU of Vit. E /day + 4% of sunflower oil/ kg in DM, for 76 days. Antioxidants additives added to the diet of cows tended to decrease energy intake and increase selenium and vitamin E intake. SFO increased the ether extract intake and tended to decrease the protein content in milk. The selenium content in milk and serum selenium ratio was increased with the addition of antioxidants and tended to decrease with the addition of SFO. SFO increased α-tocopherol content in serum and tended to decrease it in milk. SFO increased cholesterol, HDL, and LDL in the serum of cows. Milk with the most desirable nutritional profile for human nutrition and health was produced by cows supplemented with antioxidants and sunflower oil, with higher selenium and alpha-tocopherol levels compared to milk commonly produced, without affecting animal productivity.