Effect of substituting fresh-cut perennial ryegrass with fresh-cut white clover on bovine milk fatty acid profile

Stergiadis, S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7293-182X, Hynes, D. N., Thomson, A. L., Kliem, K. E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0058-8225, Berlitz, C. G., Gunal, M. and Yan, T. (2018) Effect of substituting fresh-cut perennial ryegrass with fresh-cut white clover on bovine milk fatty acid profile. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 98 (10). pp. 3982-3993. ISSN 0022-5142 doi: 10.1002/jsfa.8991

Abstract/Summary

BACKGROUND: Including forage legumes in dairy systems can help address increasing environmental/economic concerns about perennial ryegrass monoculture pastures. This work investigated the effect of substituting fresh-cut grass with increasing quantities of fresh-cut white clover (WC) on milk fatty acid (FA) profile and transfer efficiency of dietary linoleic (LA) and α-linolenic (ALNA) acids to milk fat. Three groups of three crossbred dairy cows were used in a 3×3 cross-over design. Dietary treatments were 0 g kg-1 WC+600 g kg-1 grass, 200 g kg-1 WC+400 g kg-1 grass, 400 g kg-1 WC+200 g kg-1 grass. All treatments were supplemented with 400 g kg-1 concentrates on a dry matter basis. Cows had a 19-d adaptation period to the experimental diet before a 6-d measurement period in individual tie stalls. RESULTS: Increasing dietary WC did not affect dry matter intake, milk yield or milk concentrations of fat, protein or lactose. Milk polyunsaturated FA concentrations (total omega-3, total omega-6, LA and ALNA) and transfer efficiency of LA and ALNA were increased with increasing dietary WC supply. CONCLUSION: Inclusion of WC in pastures may increase concentrations of nutritionally beneficial FA, without influencing milk yield and basic composition, but any implications on human health cannot be drawn.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/75768
Identification Number/DOI	10.1002/jsfa.8991
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Animal Sciences > Animal, Dairy and Food Chain Sciences (ADFCS)- DO NOT USE
Publisher	Wiley
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item