The effect of fresh bergamot pulp on fatty acid composition of suckling kids

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess the effect of fresh bergamot pulp in lactating goat diets to determine its effects on milk and suckling kid fatty acid composition. Eighteen pregnant does were randomly assigned to two groups of two different diets: alfalfa hay (1 kg/head/day), supplemented with commercial concentrate (1 kg/head/day–Control diet) or the same concetrate (700 g/head/day) supplemented with fresh bergamot pulp (2 kg/head/day–FBP diet). Kids were reared in individual pens and fed on their mother’s milk. At 45 days of age, kids were slaughtered. Rumenic acid was higher in milk and in meat from animals from FBP group than Control one (P < 0.001). Total n-3 PUFA were higher (P < 0.01) in FBP kids as a result of the higher level (P < 0.01) of α-linolenic acid compared to Control kids. Linoleic and arachidonic acids were higher (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively) in Control kids compared to FBP ones. It was concluded that dietary supplementation with fresh bergamot pulp to goats improved nutritional quality of kid meat.