Fatty acid profile of milk from cows fed palm kernel cake
Pimentel, L.R.; da Silva, F.F.; Silva, R.R.; de Oliveira Rodrigues, E.S.; Meneses, M. de A.; Porto Junior, A.F.; de Souza, D.D.; da Silva, G.M.; Pacheco, C.C.; de Oliveira, P.A.
Semina-Ciencias Agrarias 37(4): 2773-2783
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 1676-546X DOI: 10.5433/1679-0359.2016v37n4supl1p2773
Accession: 070796910
To evaluate the fatty acid profile of milk from cows fed palm kernel cake (PKC), 12 Holstein x Zebu crossbred cows were kept in the feedlot, distributed into a triple 4 x 4 Latin square, and fed the following treatments: 1) control; 2) inclusion of 50 g PKC/kg in the total dry matter (TDM); 3) inclusion of 100 g PKC/kg in the TDM; and 4) inclusion of 150 g PKC/kg in the TDM. Milk samples from the morning and afternoon milkings were collected in the amount of 1% of the daily production of each animal; subsequently, 100-mL subsamples were frozen for analysis of the fatty acid profile. Inclusion of PKC did not change the concentration of short-chain fatty acids or myristoleic (C-14:1), pentadecenoic (C-15:1), palmitic (C-16:0), and palmitoleic (C-16:1) fatty acids. Concentrations of medium-chain and lauric (C-12:0) and myristic (C-14:0) fatty acids increased linearly (P<0.05). A decreasing linear effect was observed (P<0.05) on the concentration of the C-15:0 fatty acid. No effects were observed (P>0.05) on the long-chain fatty acids and those of the omega 6 and 3 series; on the ratio between poly-unsaturated and saturated fatty acids; or on the ratio between the fatty acids of the omega 6/omega 3 series. The concentration of conjugated linoleic acid was not influenced (P>0.05) by inclusion of PKC in the diet. Addition of palm kernel cake to the diet of lactating cows influences the concentration of medium-chain fatty acids, and of lauric (C-12:0), myristic (C-14:0), and pentadecanoic (C-15:0) fatty acids in their milk.