Effect of Feeding Calcium Salts of Palm Oil Fatty Acids on Performance of Lactating Crossbred Cows

Twenty lactating crossbred cows yielding 10 to 15 litres of milk daily during mid lactation were selected and divided into four groups of five animals to assess the effect of feeding calcium soaps of palm oil fatty acids (bypass fat) on milk yield, milk composition and nutrient utilization in lactating crossbred cows. The animals in groups 1 (control), 2, 3 and 4 were fed concentrate mixture containing 0 (no bypass fat), 2, 4 and 6% bypass fat, respectively. The average daily dry matter consumption in the various groups ranged from 13.1 to 13.6 kg and showed no significant difference among treatment groups. There was no significant difference among different groups in digestibility of DM, OM, CP and CF, however, ether extract digestibility in cows of groups 2 and 4 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control group. The average milk yields of the cows in group 3 (4% bypass fat) showed a significantly (p<0.05) higher value than cows of groups 1 and 2. Similarly, a significant (p<0.05) increase in fat yield, 4% FCM yield and SNF yield was observed for the cows in group 3 (4% bypass fat). The milk composition in terms of total solids, fat, lactose, protein, solids-not-fat and ash percentage showed a varying response and bypass fat feeding did not have any effect on milk composition of cows in different groups. The gross and net energetic efficiency of milk production ranged from 23.6 to 27.5% and 37.1 to 44.4%, respectively, and showed no significant difference among different treatment groups. The gross and net efficiency of nitrogen utilization for milk production ranged from 24.0 to 28.7% and 37.2 to 43.5%, respectively, and no significant difference was noted among different treatment groups. The supplementation with calcium salts of palm oil fatty acid reduced the proportion of caproic, caprylic and capric acids and significantly (p<0.01) increased the concentration of palmitic, oleic, stearic, linoleic and linolenic acids in milk fat with increase in level of bypass fat supplementation. It was concluded that incorporation of calcium salts of palm oil fatty acids at a 4% level in the concentrate mixture of lactating crossbred cows improved the milk production and milk quality in terms of polyunsaturated fatty acids without affecting the digestibility of nutrients.