Effects of forage species and stage of maturity on bovine milk fatty acid composition

• Published in: European journal of lipid science and technology Vol. 109; no. 8; pp. 856 - 867
• Main Authors: Vanhatalo, Aila, Kuoppala, Kaisa, Toivonen, Vesa, Shingfield, Kevin J
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim Wiley-VCH Verlag 01.08.2007; WILEY-VCH Verlag; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Fat industries; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; grass; Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams; milk fat; polyunsaturated fatty acids; Red clover; trans fatty acids; trans fatty acids; Bovine; polyunsaturated fatty acids; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Fatty acids; Oils and fats industry; Red; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Red clover; Trans stereoisomer; grass; Chemical composition; Artiodactyla; Milk fat; Ungulata; Maturity
• ISSN: 1438-7697; 1438-9312
• DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.200700023

Five cows were used in a 5x5 Latin square to evaluate the effects of forage type and stage of herbage maturity on milk fatty acid (FA) composition. Four silages were prepared from primary growths of timothy-meadow fescue and red clover swards at an early and late stage of growth. Treatments consisted of these silages and an additional treatment comprised of an equal mixture of late-cut grass silage and early-cut red clover silage. Forages were fed ad libitum and supplemented with 9 kg/day of a standard concentrate. Compared with grass silage, red clover silage diets enhanced milk fat monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) content, 18:3 n-3 in particular, responses that were associated with concomitant reductions in 10:0 to 16:0 concentrations. Decreases in 16:0 and increases in PUFA concentrations were more pronounced for early than late growths of red clover. Even though red clover resulted in marginal increases in total milk fat trans 18:1 content, milk trans-11 18:1 concentrations were lower for red clover than for grass silage diets. It is concluded that replacing grass with red clover silage prepared at an early stage of maturity represents a sustainable nutritional strategy for enhancing the MUFA and PUFA content of milk.