The effects of increasing amounts of dietary tallow on milk-fat secretion in the cow

Abstract

Summary The effects of 2, 4, 7 and 10% supplements of tallow to a basal diet low in fat on the composition of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in the rumen and on the secretion in milk of fat and its component fatty acids are reported. There were no significant effects of the tallow on rumen VFA or on the secretion of total milk fat. The yields in milk of stearic (18:0) and oleic (18:1) acids were positively correlated and those of palmitic (16:0) and myristic (14:0) acids negatively correlated with their respective dietary intakes. Apart from butyric acid which increased, the yields of other short-chain acids synthesized within the mammary gland decreased with increased intake of tallow. Possible factors influencing the output of total milk fat through a balance between increased transfer to milk of dietary fatty acids and decreased intramammary synthesis of fatty acids are discussed.