Effects of Nicotinamide on Milk Composition and Production In Diary Cows Fed Supplemental Fat

¹ Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Secretaria de Agricultura Ganaderia y Desarrolo Rural, Avenue Ruffo Figueroa S/N, Chilpancingo, Guerrero 39000, Mexico
² Nutritional Physiology Group, Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames 50011

Thirty-two cows, averaging 112 DIM, were assigned to four dietary treatment: 1) control, 2) Ca salts of fatty acids, 3) nicotinamide, and 4) Ca salts of fatty acids blended with nicotinamide during manufacture. Preliminary studies showed that nicotinamide survives blending with Ca salts of fatty acids during manufacture and that a blended mixture of nicotinamide and Ca salts of fatty acids gave results similar to those from nicotinamide plus Ca salts of fatty acids increased milk fat percentage, decreased milk protein percentage, but had no effect on production of milk, FCM, fat, or protein. Nicotinamide increased production of milk and protein, decreased fat percentage, but had no effect on either production of FCM and protein or percentage of protein. Calcium salts of fatty acids increased NEFA in blood, and dietary nicotinamide increased concentration of nicotinamide in blood, but glucose and BHBA in blood were unaffected by either dietary ingredient. Therefore, in these midlactation cows, the decreased milk protein percentage caused by supplemental dietary fat was prevented by nicotinamide. Supplementation with only nicotinamide increased total production of milk protein.

Key Words: nicotinamide • milk composition • supplemental fat • dairy cows

Submitted on October 17, 1994
Accepted on October 6, 1995