Productive Performance, Milk Composition and Milk Fatty Acids of Goats Supplemented with Sunflower and Linseed Whole Seeds in Grass Silage-Based Diets.

Einar Vargas-Bello-Pérez,Lizbeth Esmeralda Robles-Jimenez,Carlos Alberto García Montes De Oca,Julieta G Estrada Flores,Nazario Pescador Salas,Manuel Gonzalez-Ronquillo,José Romero Bernal

doi:10.3390/ani10071143

Abstract

Simple SummaryFeeding is the most practical way to induce changes in the milk fatty acid profile of ruminants. The use of whole oilseeds is an available resource that farmers can use for improving animal´s performance and milk quality. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine productive performance, milk composition and milk fatty acids of goats supplemented with sunflower and linseed whole seeds in grass silage-based diets. Compared to the typical use of Megalac-R®, sunflower and linseed whole seeds did not affect nutrients digestibility and milk composition but reduced palmitic acid and increased oleic acid in milk. Overall, sunflower and linseed whole seeds resulted an effective strategy for altering the fatty acid composition of goat´s milk towards a healthier profile for humans without negative effects on animal performance.The objective of this study was to determine productive performance, milk composition and milk fatty acids (FA) of goats supplemented with sunflower and linseed whole seeds in grass silage-based diets. Nine Alpine goats were grouped in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design (n = 3), that included three 21-d periods. Treatments were based on grass silage offered ad libitum and a concentrate mixture supplemented with either 40 g/d of Megalac-R® (control), 80 g/d of sunflower seed (SF), or 80 g/d of linseed (LS). Dry matter intake (1292 ± 14.0 g/d) and digestibility (g/kg) of dry matter (640 ± 32.1), organic matter (668 ± 32.4), neutral detergent fiber (628 ± 41.4) and acid detergent fiber (567 ± 60.9) was not affected by treatments (p > 0.05). Treatment did not affect milk fat yield (39.9 ± 1.24 g/d), protein content (4.5 ± 0.03 %) and protein yield (34.7 ± 1.22 g/d). Compared to control, SF and LS, decreased C16:0 (28.2 vs. 23.1 and 22.4 g/100 g), and increased total C18:1 (24.1 vs. 27.6 and 28.4 g/100 g) respectively. Overall, SF and LS resulted an effective strategy for altering the FA composition of goat´s milk towards a healthier profile for humans without deleterious effects on animal performance.

Highlights

Milk fat is an important component of the nutritional quality of goat dairy products [1]
Treatments were based on grass hay and grass silage offered ad libitum and a concentrate mixture (Table 1) supplemented with either 40 g/d of Megalac-R®, 80 g/d of sunflower seed (SF), or 80 g/d of linseed (LS) (Table 2)
Regarding each treatment’s chemical composition, as initially formulated, protein and energy contents were similar between treatments

Summary

Introduction

Milk fat is an important component of the nutritional quality of goat dairy products [1]. Goat milk fat content and composition can be extensively modified by genetic and nutritional factors [4]. Dietary fat supplementation is an efficient nutritional strategy to modify milk FA composition in lactating ruminants that could be used to improve the nutritional quality of milk fat [5]. Dietary factors such as forage type and feeding system affects goat’s milk FA composition [6]

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Conclusion