Effects of supplemental energy sources and <Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>-10, <Emphasis Type="Italic">cis</Emphasis>-12 conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) on milk yield and composition in lactating Holstein cows

The effects of supplemental energy sources (corn or saturated fatty acids) and trans-10, cis-12CLA on milk yield and composition were investigated in the present study. Four multiparous Holstein cows (560±31 kg BW, 98±10.5 DIM) were designated to a 2×2 factorial 4×4 Latin Square experiment. Treatments were isoenergetic supplementation of corn or calcium salt of saturated fatty acids (CaFA) with or without calcium salt of CLA. Both milk yield and composition were affected by sources of supplemental energy. Compared to CaFA supplementation, corn supplementation increased the milk yield, the lactose yield, and the content and yield of milk protein but decreased the yield and content of milk fat. Plasma insulin was higher, plasma glucose tended to be higher, and plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) was lower when corn rather than CaFA was supplemented. CaCLA supplementation did not affect milk yield and the yield of measured milk components, but increased the content of milk protein and decreased the content of total solids. Plasma glucose was decreased by CaCLA supplementation. Content and yield of short and medium chain fatty acids (⩽16 carbon atoms) in milk fat increased or remained unchanged while those of long chain fatty acids (> 16 carbon atoms) decreased or remained unchanged by corn supplementation. CaCLA supplementation failed to increase the content and yield of trans-10, cis-12CLA in milk fat, which explained the unobserved depression of milk fat synthesis by CaCLA supplementation. Yields of de novo synthesized fatty acids in the mammary gland were increased rather than decreased by corn supplementation. The decreased milk fat yield by corn supplementation could be exclusively attributed to reductions in preformed fatty acids, which might be a result of depressed lipolysis by stimulated insulin secretion.