Milk fatty acid profiles from inclusion of different calcium salts in dairy cow diets

ABSTRACT This experiment evaluated the effects of inclusion of three different types of calcium salts (CaS): mixed fatty acids, 70% palmitic acid-based and rapeseed oil-based, on milk production and milk fatty acid composition. Dietary treatments were randomly assigned to six mid-lactation dairy cows in a double Latin square experimental design with three 21-days experimental periods. All cows received a similar amount of grass-clover silage and concentrates and an additional 800 g of CaS daily. Analysis of milk fatty acids showed that a high proportion of palmitic acid in the feed resulted in milk fat with significantly higher levels of C16 fatty acids than with CaS based on rapeseed oil. Milk from cows on the diet with rapeseed oil based CaS contained significantly higher concentrations of C18 fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids than milk from cows on the diet with palmitic acid CaS.