Lactation Performance and Fatty Acid Composition of Milk from Holstein Cows Fed 0 to 5% Oleamide

¹ Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634

Diets containing 0 to 5% oleamide were fed to Holstein cows to determine linear or nonlinear responses to the fat supplement on lactation performance and milk fatty acid composition. Six rations containing concentrate, corn silage, and 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5% (dry matter basis) added oleamide were fed to six multiparous cows in a 6 x 6 Latin square for 2-wk periods. As the oleamide concentration in the ration increased from 0 to 5%, dry matter intake declined, fiber and dry matter digestibilities remained constant, and digestibilities of protein and fatty acids increased. Milk yield declined as dietary oleamide increased, although yield was not depressed numerically until oleamide exceeded 2% of the diet dry matter. The C_18:1 concentration doubled in milk as oleamide in the diet increased from 0 to 5%. Ratios of C_18:1 to C_16:0 in milk fat were 0.56, 0.83, 1.34, 1.53, and 1.73 for the diets supplemented with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5% oleamide, respectively. No amide was detected in milk samples taken from cows fed the 5% oleamide diet. Results show that intake of diets containing 2 to 3% oleamide substantially increased the milk C_18:1:C_16:0 ratio without greatly affecting milk yield or causing detectable amounts of amide in milk.

Key Words: oleamide • milk fatty acids • milk composition • digestibility

Submitted on August 14, 1998
Accepted on December 28, 1998

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. K. Drackley, T. R. Overton, G. Ortiz-Gonzalez, A. D. Beaulieu, D. M. Barbano, J. M. Lynch, and E. G. Perkins Responses to Increasing Amounts of High-Oleic Sunflower Fatty Acids Infused into the Abomasum of Lactating Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2007; 90(11): 5165 - 5175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. J. Harvatine and M. S. Allen Effects of Fatty Acid supplements on ruminal and total tract nutrient digestion in lactating dairy cows. J Dairy Sci, March 1, 2006; 89(3): 1092 - 1103. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. P. Lundy III, E. Block, W. C. Bridges Jr., J. A. Bertrand, and T. C. Jenkins Ruminal Biohydrogenation in Holstein Cows Fed Soybean Fatty Acids as Amides or Calcium Salts J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2004; 87(4): 1038 - 1046. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]