Effects of short period frequent milking on milk yield and udder health in Turkish Saanen goats

The major purpose of this study was to investigate whether increasing milking frequency for a short period (21 days) increases milk yield and milk components and improves udder health throughout lactation in Turkish Saanen goats. Two groups were formed (control, n = 14, treatment, n = 14); balanced by parity, bodyweight and birth type to make them homogenous. Feeding and management practices were the same for both groups. The treatment group was milked four times a day (4×) for 21 days after weaning whereas the control group was milked twice a day (2×). All the animals were milked twice daily thereafter. The pyronin methyl green stain method was used to estimate the somatic cell count (SCC), which is an indication of udder health. This method provided a count that excluded RNA and background noise while including cells with DNA. Repeated measures analyses indicated that overall differences between the 2× and 4× groups were significant for the morning, evening and total test day milk yields, in that values for the 4× group were increased 14.7, 8.8 and 12.1%, respectively. Differences between the groups for SCC were not significant. The results of this study indicate that increasing milking frequency to 4×, even for a short time (21 days), increases overall milk yield throughout lactation in dairy goats.     

Relationships between daily, morning, evening and peak yield and persistency in Turkish Saanen goats

A matrix of persistency values is given instead of one value of persistency or persistency values based on succeeding test days. Overall, the persistency matrix of morning milk had higher values than the persistency matrix of evening milk. As the distance between the test days increased, the correlations dramatically decreased. The effects of morning milk yield b = 0.23 (P < 0.01) on standard deviation of morning and evening milk yield and on peak the milk yield was higher compared to the evening daily milk yield b = 0.03 (P = 0.05) and the total daily milk yield 0.10 (P < 0.01). Increased persistency means that the lactation curve may be flatter. Since the peak value of morning milk (1597 mL) was lower than evening milk (1799 mL), and morning milk was more persistent than evening milk, morning milk can be said to contribute more to the flatness of the lactation curve. Overall, the morning milk volume (938 mL) was larger than the evening milk volume (835 mL). A 3D plot of peak milk versus morning and evening milk yield indicated that increasing the evening milk yield increases the peak yield while the morning milk yield holds the peak value lower and the curve stable.     

日粮添加脂肪对牛奶产量及品质的影响

本文综述了日粮添加脂肪对奶牛产奶量、乳蛋白率和乳脂率的影响。     

Effects of pistachio by‐products on digestibility,milk production,milk fatty acid profile and blood metabolites in Saanen dairy goats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of pistachio by‐products (PBP) on nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites and milk fatty acid (FA) profile in Saanen dairy goats. Nine multiparous lactating Saanen goats (on day 90 post‐partum, 45 ± 2/kg BW) were randomly assigned to a 3 × 3 Latin square design with three treatment diets: 1) control diet (alfalfa hay based), 2) 32% PBP and 3) 32% PBP + polyethylene glycol (PEG‐4000; 1 g/kg dry matter). Each period lasted 21 days, including 14 day for treatment adaptation and 7 day for data collection. Pistachio by‐products significantly decreased (p < 0.01) crude protein (CP) digestibility compared with the control diet (64.4% vs. 58.7%), but PEG addition did not differ for CP digestibility of goats fed 32% PBP + PEG and those fed the two other diets. The digestibility of NDF tended (p = 0.06) to decrease for goats fed PBP compared with those fed the control diet. Yields of milk and 4% fat‐corrected milk were not affected by dietary treatments. Compared with the control diet, PBP supplementation appreciably changed the proportions of almost all the milk FA measured; the main effects were decreases (p < 0.01) in FA from 8:0 to 16:0 and increases (p < 0.01) proportions of cis‐9, trans‐11 18:2 and trans‐11 18:1, monounsaturated FA, polyunsaturated FA and long‐chain FA. The saturated FA, short‐chain FA and medium‐chain FA proportions were lower (p < 0.01) in goats fed the two PBP supplemented diet than in those fed the control diet and PEG addition led to intermediate proportions of saturated FA, unsaturated and monounsaturated FA. Inclusion of PBP in the diet decreased (p < 0.01) plasma concentrations of glucose and urea nitrogen compared with the control diet. It was concluded that PBP can be used as forage in the diet of dairy goats without interfering with milk yield. Inclusion of 32% PBP in the diet of dairy goats had beneficial effects on milk FA profile but PEG addition to PBP did not contribute to enhance further milk FA profile.     

Effects of replacing wheat bran by pistachio skins on feed intake,nutrient digestibility,milk yield,milk composition and blood metabolites of dairy Saanen goats

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of pistachio skins (PiS) as a replacement of wheat bran on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, milk yield, milk composition and blood metabolites of dairy Saanen goats. Eight multiparous lactating Saanen goats (55 ± 7.2 days post‐partum, 45 ± 2 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary treatments arranged in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. The dietary treatments were 1) 0 g/kg PiS and 210 g/kg wheat bran in the TMR (0PiS), 2) 70 g/kg PiS and 140 g/kg wheat bran in the TMR (7PiS), 3) 140 g/kg PiS and 70 g/kg wheat bran in the TMR (14PiS) and 4) 210 g/kg PiS and 0 g/kg wheat bran in the TMR (21PiS). The trial consisted of four 21‐day periods, each composed of 14 days adaptation and 7 days data collection. Dry matter intake (p < 0.05) and crude protein digestibility (p < 0.01) increased linearly with increasing PiS proportions in the diet. Increasing the proportion of PiS in the diet caused a quadratic increase in apparent digestibility of dry matter (p < 0.05), and tended (p = 0.05) to increase quadratically organic matter, and ether extract digestibility. Replacing wheat bran with PiS in the diet had no effects on milk yield, whereas milk fat concentration increased linearly (p < 0.01) with increasing inclusion of PiS in the diet. As the dietary proportion of PiS increased, ruminal pH tended (p = 0.07) to increase linearly, whereas ammonia‐N concentration declined in the rumen. Plasma concentrations of glucose and BUN remained unaffected, whereas triglycerides (p < 0.05) and cholesterol (p < 0.01) concentrations increased linearly with increasing inclusion of PiS in the diet. It was concluded that PiS based on local ingredients can successfully replace wheat bran in diets of dairy goats without detrimental effects on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and milk production.     

Genetic and phenotypic parameters of milk yield, milk composition and age at first kidding in Saanen goats from Mexico

A total of 4007 lactation records from 1520 Saanen goats kidding from 1999 to 2006 and obtained from 10 herds in Guanajuato, Mexico, were analyzed to estimate the heritabilities, repeatabilities, as well as genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlations for milk yield (MILK), fat yield (FAT), protein yield (PROT), fat content (%FAT), protein content (%PROT) and age at fist kidding (AFK). A five-trait repeatability model was used to estimate (co)variances for milk traits, and a four-trait animal model for first lactation records was used to estimate (co)variances involving AFK. For MILK, FAT, PROT, %FAT, %PROT and AFK, heritability estimates were 0.17 ± 0.04, 0.19 ± 0.05, 0.17 ± 0.04, 0.32 ± 0.06, 0.38 ± 0.07 and 0.31 ± 0.09, respectively. Repeatabilities for MILK, FAT, PROT, %FAT and %PROT were 0.43 ± 0.02, 0.42 ± 0.02, 0.42 ±0.02, 0.64 ± 0.02, and 0.63 ± 0.02, respectively. The genetic correlations between MILK and FAT, and between MILK and PROT, were high and positive (0.72 ± 0.08 and 0.87 ± 0.04, respectively). Genetic correlations between MILK and %FAT, between MILK and %PROT and between MILK and AFK, were − 0.24 ± 0.16, − 0.30 ± 0.15 and − 0.18 ± 0.23, respectively. Genetic correlations between AFK and FAT and between AFK and PROT were − 0.09 ± 0.24 and − 0.17 ± 0.25, respectively; and genetic correlations between AFK and %FAT and between AFK and %PROT were 0.29 ± 0.35 and 0.14 ± 0.27, respectively. Selection for milk traits is possible using a repeatability animal model. Selection for milk production traits would probably not increase AFK, but more precise estimates of the genetic correlations are required. Selection to lower AFK is possible. These (co)variance estimates would make it possible to predict the selection responses from different economic indices in order to maximize the economic responses for the local markets.     

天府肉羊哺乳期产奶量及乳中营养成分变化

对16只天府肉羊的哺乳期(产后60d)产奶量和乳中营养成分进行测定,并对其变化规律进行分析。结果表明:经产母羊哺乳期的泌乳量为78.99 kg±6.86 kg,极显著高于初产母羊的40.76 kg±3.08 kg(P<0.01)。产后48 h内母羊初乳中的干物质、蛋白质和灰分含量迅速下降,脂肪含量先上升后下降。初产和经产母羊初乳中的干物质含量分别较常乳中高91.6%和119.4%,脂肪含量高79.9%和61.7%,乳蛋白含量高218.7%和315.4%,灰分含量高142.3%和188.9%,乳糖含量变化不大。经产母羊初乳中的干物质、蛋白质、乳糖和灰分含量均高于初产母羊,其中产后0 h的蛋白质和灰分含量较初产母羊高30.61%和20.93%,常乳中的营养成分差异不显著(P>0.05)。     

Use of a test day model for dairy goat milk yield across lactations in Germany.

Breeding value prediction for dairy goats in Germany is still based on herd mate comparison within breeding society. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for milk yield based on a test day model. For the analysis 35,308, 30,551 and 23,640 test day records from lactations 1, 2 and 3 from 5079, 4118 and 3132 animals, respectively, were used. The data between 1987 and 2003 were obtained from six German breeding societies. The multiple trait (lactations 1, 2 and 3) repeatability model (RPT) included the fixed effects of breeding society-breed-herd-year, litter size, lambing season, and days in milk of third-order Legendre polynomials nested within herd-year, and the random effects of animal additive and permanent environment. The three-trait random regression model (RR) also included the random regressions based on second-order Legendre polynomials for animal additive and permanent environmental effects. Heritability estimates in RPT were 0.27 +/- 0.02, 0.20 +/- 0.02 and 0.37 +/- 0.02 for the first, second and third lactation, respectively. The genetic correlation between the first and second lactation was 0.69, between the second and third lactation 0.79, and between the first and third lactation 0.45. Heritability estimates from the RR in the first and second lactations decreased from the beginning to the end of the lactation, with average values of 0.28 and 0.27, respectively. Estimates in the third lactation showed a maximum in the middle of lactation, averaging 0.37. Genetic correlations between the first and second lactation averaged 0.64, between the second and third lactation 0.72, and between the first and third lactation 0.46. Despite the small data set and restricted relationship structure the estimates were reasonable with the exception of estimates from the third lactation, which seemed inflated. RR could be used for genetic evaluation of dairy goats in Germany.     

Ultrasonographic and echobiometric findings in the eyes of Saanen goats of different ages

Objective  To determine ultrasonographic and echobiometric findings in the eyes of goats of different ages. B and A mode ultrasonography was performed in 55 healthy Saanen goats (110 eyes) of ages 45 ( n  =   15), 180 ( n  =   20), and 549 days ( n  =   20).
Procedures  Transcorneal ultrasonography was performed after instillation of a topical anesthetic and application of acoustic transmission gel on the 20-MHz linear transducer tip. The transducer was placed in a longitudinal position until optimal B scan images, according to echoes of A mode images, were obtained. Statistical analysis was carried out to compare the echobiometric readings among subjects ( P  <   0.05).
Results  The aqueous and vitreous humors of the goats, as well as the lens cortices and nuclei, appeared anechoic. The cornea, anterior and posterior lens capsule, sclera, and iris appeared hyperechoic and generated peaks on the A mode. Ocular measurements between the right and left eyes, as well as between male and female goats were not significantly different among subjects of the same age ( P  =   1.00). All dimensions evaluated increased significantly with age ( P  <   0.01).
Conclusions  The ultrasonographic appearances of goat eyes were very similar to those of other animal species. The cornea, anterior chamber, lens, vitreous chamber, and axial globe length increased with age in the Saanen breed of goats. Knowledge of the normal appearance and ocular dimensions of goat eyes facilitates the use of ultrasonography in the evaluation of ocular disease in Saanen goats.     

代乳粉对成年黔北麻羊瘤胃发酵及血浆生化指标的影响

基于笔者所在课题组前期对饲喂代乳粉可以改善黔北麻羊羔羊生产性能的研究结果,本研究进一步分析代乳粉对瘤胃发酵及血浆生化指标的影响,以期为生产实践中应用代乳粉提供基础数据。本研究采用3×3拉丁方试验设计,将健康无病,体重、年龄一致的成年黔北麻羊6只分为3组(对照组、试验1组、试验2组),每组两个重复,每个重复1只羊,单笼饲喂。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,试验1组、试验2组在基础饲粮基础上分别添加2.5%、5%代乳粉。试验持续45d,分3期,每期15d,包括14d预饲期和1d采样期。结果显示,1)代乳粉对瘤胃液pH、微生物蛋白产量影响均不显著(P0.05);试验1组氨态氮浓度显著低于对照组(P0.05)。2)各组间瘤胃微晶纤维素酶、纤维二糖酶及木聚糖酶活数值差异均不显著(P0.05),但试验1组、试验2组羧甲基纤维素酶活水平显著高于对照组(P0.05)。3)试验1组、试验2组的瘤胃乙酸、丙酸、丁酸及总挥发性脂肪酸显著高于对照组(P0.05),试验2组数值高于试验1组;乙酸/丙酸显著低于对照组(P0.05)。4)试验2组血浆葡萄糖显著低于试验1组(P0.05)、总蛋白显著低于对照组(P0.05),其余血浆指标差异不显著(P0.05)。由此可见,补饲代乳粉可改善黔北麻羊瘤胃发酵参数及部分血浆生化指标;综合来看,以5%水平较好。     

Effect of photoperiod on milk yield and quality, and reproduction in dairy goats

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of long day photoperiod (LDPP) on milk production and reproduction in milk goats. A total of 79 goats were randomly assigned to three treatment groups blocked by day of kidding. Group 1 (Gr1, n = 26) was subjected to natural photoperiod from January 6 to December 5. Group 2 (Gr2, n = 24) was subjected to LDPP (20 h light, 4 h dark) from June 22 to December 5. Group 3 (Gr3, n = 29) was subjected to LDPP from January 6 to December 6. Weekly milk weights and samples were collected for fat, protein and somatic cell count (SCC) determinations. Blood serum was harvested for progesterone (P4) determination. Results indicated a significant effect (p < 0.001) between treatments for body weight changes, feed intake and milk yield. Both light treated groups had a significantly higher (p < 0.001) average daily milk output for the entire lactation period than the control group (G1, 2.193 kg/day; G2, 2.517 kg/day; G3, 2.305 kg/day). Milk fat for the overall lactation was significantly higher in Gr3 (+ 0.19 g/100 ml) than for Gr2 (+ 0.06 g/100 ml) when compared to the control group (x g/100 ml) under natural photoperiod. Somatic cell counts throughout lactation were significantly (p < 0.001) lower for Gr2 (1.70 million/ml) and higher for Gr3 (2.03 million/ml), with the control group (Gr1) having an intermediate level (1.96 million/ml). Progesterone levels between June 9 and August 30 indicated that 27%, 48% and 63% of the animals had P4 levels in excess of 1.0 ng/ml serum for Gr1, Gr2 and Gr3, respectively. Pregnancy diagnosis by ultrasound in December revealed that a high number of does in the light treated groups (10 of 37) were pseudo-pregnant when compared with the control group (1 of 21). Although light appeared to be effective in increasing milk production, further investigations are needed to evaluate the effect of LDPP on pseudo-pregnancy in dairy goats.     

Effect of milking interval on milk yield and quality and rate of recovery during subsequent frequent milking

Forty mid-lactation, pasture-fed dairy cows were used to study the effects of milking interval on milk yield and quality and whether effects could be reversed during a short period of subsequent frequent milking. Following a 2-day pre-experimental period of normal twice-daily milking (TDM), cows were milked again after 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30 h, with each milking interval followed by 24 h of frequent milking (i.e., every 6 h). Milk yield increased linearly until 18 h and then started to plateau. Similarly, milk quality (serum albumin and proteolytic enzyme activity) became adversely affected after 18 h. These changes coincided with increased permeability of mammary tight junctions (TJ), starting after a milking interval of 18 h. A brief period of frequent milking helped restore milk yields to pre-experiment levels, even after the longest milking interval.     

Subtropical goats ovulate in response to the male effect after a prolonged treatment of artificial long days to stimulate their milk yield

The objectives of this study were to determine (i) if in subtropical goats that gave birth during mid‐December, the exposition to an artificial long‐day photoperiod consisting in only 14 hr of light per day can increase the milk yield and (ii) to test whether these females can respond to the male effect at the end of the prolonged photoperiodic treatment. In experiment 1, 17 lactating goats were maintained under natural short days (control group), while another 22 goats were maintained under artificial long days (treated group) consisting in 14 hr light and 10 hr darkness starting at day 10 of lactation. The continuous exposition to an artificial long‐day photoperiod produced an increase in the milk yield level during the first 110 days of lactation (time × treatment interaction; p = .01), while none of the milk components were modified due to the photoperiodic treatment (p > .05). In experiment 2, all control and treated anovulatory goats were submitted to the male effect using photostimulated males. All females showed oestrous behaviour within the first 10 days that were in contact with males (100% in both groups; p > .05). Thus, the latency to onset of oestrus did not differ between females from control (58.2 ± 3.0 hr) and treated (62 ± 4.6 hr) groups. Male exposition provoked ovulation independently if females were previously under long days or natural photoperiod (96 vs 100%, respectively; p = .79). It was concluded that exposure to 14 hr of light per day in subtropical goats that gave birth in late autumn stimulates milk yield without preventing the ovulation in response to the male effect at the end of the prolonged photoperiodic treatment.     

瘤胃保护共轭亚油酸和亚油酸对奶牛产奶性能的影响

选择健康、泌乳月份与产奶量相近的多胎荷斯坦泌乳牛20头,随机分成5组,每组4头,研究日粮中添加商业来源的瘤胃保护共轭亚油酸钙盐(Ca-CLA)同时添加自然来源亚油酸(葵花油)对奶牛生产性能的影响。试验期为52d。对照组基础日粮为60%粗饲料(苜蓿、羊草、青贮)和40%精料(以DM为基础),处理组在对照组日粮基础上分别添加Ca-CLA100g/d·头(CLA)、葵花油350g/d·头(Sunf);Ca-CLA100g/d·头 葵花油350g/d·头(CLA Sunf),Ca-CLA50g/d·头 葵花油175g/d·头(1/2CLA 1/2Sunf)。结果表明:在奶牛日粮中,单独添加自然来源亚油酸产奶量较对照组差异不显著(P>0.05),而单独添加共轭亚油酸钙盐或与自然来源亚油酸高低不同剂量添加产奶量较对照组都分别显著提高2.20%、9.95%、11.16%,无论单独添加自然来源亚油酸或Ca-CLA或二者以高低不同剂量同时添加,牛奶的乳脂率较对照组都分别显著降低15.0%,6.24%,21.74%,14.35%。总之,奶牛日粮中同时添加Ca-CLA和自然来源亚油酸能显著提高产奶量,降低乳脂率,并且,减少Ca-CLA的添加量同时添加自然来源亚油酸可以达到高剂量添加Ca-CLA相同的效果。     

恩诺沙星及其代谢产物在奶山羊的药动学及乳中药物浓度

本试验研究单剂量静脉注射、肌肉注射和乳房灌注恩诺沙星（2.5mg/kg)在健康奶山羊的药动学及乳中药物浓度。采用HPLC法测定血浆和乳中恩诺沙星及其代谢产物环丙沙星的浓度，用统计矩原理处理血浆中药物浓度－时间数据，计算非房室模型的药动学参数。静脉注射、肌肉注射和乳房灌注恩诺沙星的t1/2β分别为1.32、1．55、0．99h;AUC为1．06、3．04、2．66mghL^-1；恩诺沙星的代谢分数为35．01％、44．06％、45．73％；环丙沙星的t1/2β为1．81、2．94、2．32h。乳中的药物浓度高于同期血中药物浓度，且乳中环丙沙星浓度高于恩诺沙星浓度并维持更长的时间。     

Comparative study of milk compositions of cattle,sheep and goats in Nigeria

Variations in the milk composition of Nigerian cattle, sheep and goats (Bunaji, Yankasa and Red Sokoto breeds, respectively), as well as residual phenotypic correlations between the milk constituents, were investigated. Results indicated that sheep and goats differed significantly (P < 0.05) from cattle in all constituents except protein percentage, which averaged 5.43%, 5.43% and 5.49%, respectively. Caprine milk contained the highest percentages of fat (5.80%), total solids (15.37%) and ash (0.77%), and bovine milk contained the least percentages of fat (0.68%) and lactose (1.84%). Overall, the milk compositions of sheep and goats were very similar as they were not statistically different from each other (P > 0.05). Residual phenotypic correlations between the milk constituents revealed highly significant (P < 0.01) and positive relationships between total solids and solids‐not‐fat (0.97 and 0.98 in cattle and sheep, respectively). All other correlations were positive in cattle (ranging from 0.12 to 0.77), except between protein and total solids (?0.44) and protein and solids‐not‐fat (?0.64). Multiple linear regression equations were fitted to predict the percentages of protein and fat. It was demonstrated that the protein percentage could be predicted from total solids and solids‐not‐fat with the highest accuracy of 94%, 86% and 82% in cattle, sheep and goats, respectively. On the other hand, the accuracy of prediction of fat percentage was very low in all the species (R² = 0.01, 0.3 and 0.37 in cattle, sheep and goats, respectively).     

不同精粗饲料对泌乳中期山羊氨基酸的代谢流向及乳蛋白含量的影响

 通过检测泌乳中期山羊血浆及乳中游离氨基酸含量的变化,探讨不同精粗比饲料对机体中氨基酸（ａｍｉｎｏａｃｉｄｓ,ＡＡ）的代谢流向及乳蛋白的影响。选用泌乳中期山羊７只,随机分为２组,分别饲喂精粗比４∶６（低精料组）和６∶４（高精料组）日粮,颈静脉血管瘘采血,手工挤奶取奶样。Ｂｒａｄｆｏｒｄ法测定乳中总蛋白质浓度,ＲＰ－ＨＰＬＣ检测山羊血浆和乳中游离氨基酸的含量。结果表明,２组山羊血浆中均分离出１４种游离氨基酸,乳中分离出８种游离氨基酸,不同精粗比饲料对血液或乳中游离氨基酸谱无明显影响。不同精粗比日粮情况下,除丙氨酸外,血液中游离氨基酸的含量均高于乳中同种氨基酸的含量;且血液中生酮氨基酸（Ｌｅｕ,Ｌｙｓ）、兼性氨基酸（Ｐｈｅ,Ｉｌｅ）和支链氨基酸（Ｌｅｕ,Ｉｌｅ和Ｖａｌ）含量显著或极显著高于乳中。高精料组除Ｇｌｙ和Ａｌａ外,其余氨基酸含量均低于低精料组;乳中总蛋白浓度略高于低精料组,但无统计学差异。表明血液中游离氨基酸为乳蛋白的合成提供了原料和能量保证。饲喂高精料日粮,血液中游离氨基酸含量较低,不利于乳蛋白含量和产量的提高。     

Influence of milking units and working vacuum level on the mechanical milking of goats

The objectives of this study were to evaluate and compare the effect of working vacuum levels (35 and 44 kPa) and liners dimensions (mouthpiece lip diameter and overall length, 20–185 and 22–170 mm) on the main milking characteristics of goats. The results highlight that both the working vacuum level and the liner dimension have influenced the milk flow curve parameters. The maximum variations were found for peak flow rate, which increased significantly with liner dimensions of 20–185 mm at a working vacuum level of 44 kPa as well as average milk flow rate and for plateau phase duration. The incorrect adoption of operative parameters and unsuitable milking machine components, might affect the performance of the mechanical milking and negatively affecting animal productions and welfare.     

Whey protein gel composites in the diet of goats increased the omega‐3 and omega‐6 content of milk fat

Previously, feeding whey protein gels containing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reduced their rumen biohydrogenation and increased their concentration in milk fat of Holstein cows. Our objective was to test the efficacy of whey protein isolate (WPI) gels produced in a steam tunnel as a method to alter the fatty acid (FA) composition of the milk lipids. Four primiparous Lamancha goats in midlactation were fed three diets in a 3 × 4 Latin square design. The WPI gels were added to a basal concentrate mix that contained one of three lipid sources: (i) 100% soya bean oil (S) to create (WPI/S), (ii) a 1:1 (wt/wt) mixture of S and linseed (L) oil to create (WPI/SL), or (iii) 100% L to create (WPI/L). Periods were 22 days with the first 10 days used as an adjustment phase followed by a 12‐day experimental phase. During the adjustment phase, all goats received a rumen available source of lipid, yellow grease, to provide a baseline for milk FA composition. During the experimental phase, each goat received its assigned WPI. Milk FA concentration of C18:2 n‐6 and C18:3 n‐3 reached 9.3 and 1.64 g/100 g FA, respectively, when goats were fed WPI/S. Feeding WPI/SL increased the C18:2 n‐6 and C18:3 n‐3 concentration to 6.22 and 4.36 g/100 g FA, and WPI/L increased C18:2 n‐6 and C18:3 n‐3 to 3.96 and 6.13 g/100 g FA respectively. The adjusted transfer efficiency (%) of C18:3 n‐3 to milk FA decreased significantly as dietary C18:3 n‐3 intake increased. Adjusted transfer efficiency for C18:2 n‐6 did not change with increasing intake of C18:2 n‐6. The WPI gels were effective at reducing rumen biohydrogenation of PUFA; however, we observed a change in the proportion increase of C18:3 n‐3 in milk FA suggesting possible regulation of n‐3 FA to the lactating caprine mammary gland.     

Effects of induced subacute ruminal acidosis on milk fat content and milk fatty acid profile

Two lactating dairy cows fitted with a rumen cannula received successively diets containing 0%, 20%, 34% and again 0% of wheat on a dry matter basis. After 5, 10 and 11 days, ruminal pH was measured between 8:00 and 16:00 hours, and milk was analysed for fat content and fatty acid profile. Diets with 20% and 34% wheat induced a marginal and a severe subacute ruminal acidosis respectively. After 11 days, diets with wheat strongly reduced the milk yield and milk fat content, increased the proportions of C8:0 to C13:0 even- or odd-chain fatty acids, C18:2 n-6 and C18:3 n-3 fatty acids but decreased the proportions of C18:0 and cis-9 C18:1 fatty acids. Wheat also increased the proportions of trans-5 to trans-10 C18:1, the latter exhibiting a 10-fold increase with 34% of wheat compared with value during the initial 0% wheat period. There was also an increase of trans-10, cis-12 C18:2 fatty acid and a decrease of trans-11 to trans-16 C18:1 fatty acids. The evolution during adaptation or after return to a 0% wheat diet was rapid for pH but much slower for the fatty acid profile. The mean ruminal pH was closely related to milk fat content, the proportion of odd-chain fatty acids (linear relationship) and the ratio of trans-10 C18:1/trans-11 C18:1 (nonlinear relationship). Such changes in fatty acid profile suggested a possible use for non-invasive diagnosis of subacute ruminal acidosis.