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Fat supplements for dairy

What to consider about Commercial Fat Supplements

Published: January 19, 2012
By: Joe Magadi (UFAC, UK)
The debate as to the effectiveness of various forms of fat supplements in supplying the energy deficit to lactating dairy cows in early lactation is live. It is perhaps refreshing to review the general properties of the commercially available rumen-protected/inert fats.
Designated digestive characteristics
Fat supplements generally carry the label of "rumen-protected/inert" if they are designed to:
1)     Resist biohydrogenation by rumen microbes
2)     Enhance postruminal flow of fatty acids
3)     Minimise negative impact on rumen fermentation
4)     Have no rious effect on dry matter intake.
5)     Deliver specific fatty acids to target tissues such as mammary gland
Intended Benefits of protected fats
For rumen protection technology to be effective and beneficial to the dairy cow it must:
1)   Offer consistent and predictable enhancement of unsaturated fatty acid flow to the intestines above background levels
2)     Provide adequate release and absorption of fatty acids postruminally
3)     Have minimal adverse effects on rumen fermentation
4)     Present least problems with dry matter intake
5)     Enhance microbial protein yield
6)     Be palatable
On a global scale there are available a variety of commercial fat supplements the main ones of which are hydrogenated fats, calcium soaps and dryfats. The first two have been in the market for a long while and have been studied widely with certain limitations identified.
Drawbacks of Protected Fats
Calcium Soaps
Many of the fatty acids of calcium salts are low in palatability and stable in the rumen at pH greater than 6.5. They are released from calcium salts primarily by acidic dissociation in the abomasum and intestine. However, the rumen conditions in high concentrate fed dairy cows hardly ever attain such pH levels to guarantee adequate protection of the calcium soaps. Indeed, several researchers Van Nevel and Demeyer (1996), Ferlay et al. (1993) and Wu et al. (1991) have found calcium salts of fatty acids to be extensively biohydrogenated (up to 57%). This demonstrates that calcium salts are not as rumen protected as claimed and may instead be rious to rumen fermentation and to dry matter intake. Similar observations were confirmed by Weiss and Wyatt (2004) when they fed calcium soap at a typical rate of 3.4% and recorded reduced dry matter intake by 5%. Associated with the decreased DMI is the decline in the yield microbial protein.
Hydrogenated Fats
Hydrogenated fats like palmitic acid are saturated and as such have minimal negative effects on rumen microbial growth and function. They have a melting point close to 60º C which is well above the rumen temperature rendering them inert to rumen fermentation. Unfortunately, the same process severely reduces their digestibility and potential for value in lactating dairy cow rations. According to Elliott et al. (1994; 1999), resistance to intestinal digestion is a major factor contributing to poor digestibility of highly saturated fats. Because of the low digestibility, oil slick in the dung is a common problem when C16 is fed.
From the feeding trials in Gernany ( J. Voigt et al., 2006) it was calculated that net energy for lactation were only  2.4, 10.1 and 16.4 MJ/kg DM or 4.0, 16.8 and 27.3 MJ/kg ME for hydrogenated triacylglyceride from palm oil, fractionated trilglyceride from palm oil and calcium soap from palm oil respectively. 
Reduced Dry Matter Intake
As an example, a reasonable intake of metabolizable energy for a high yielding dairy cow consuming 24kg dry matter per day of a typical lactation ration (12.5 ME MJ/kg) would be 300 MJ/day. If 0.5kg of this diet is replaced with fat from calcium soap, the intake of ME would be expected to increase to 310.25 MJ/day. However, a reduction by 5% in dry matter intake by the calcium soap would depress overall energy intake in this example by 15 MJ and there will be concomitant ME loss of 4.75MJ. This equates to a loss in milk production by one litre.
 Dryfats
Dryfats are processed on the premise that when hard and soft oils are blended together in a given ratio at a pre-determined temperature and applied on a dry carrier the outcome is a slow release and friable product. The technology enhances embedment of the oils into the matrix of the carrier material mimicking the natural protection of oils in forage. Dryfats therefore have a set of unique nutritional advantages over the other forms of fat supplements:
1.      Palatable with no negative effect on dry matter intake
2.      Oil blends with optimal ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids
3.      Synergistic effect of oil blend on digestibility, energy yield and functionality
4.      Slow and steady release, not rious to rumen fermentation
5.       Adequate release and absorption of fatty acids postruminally
6.      Improves yield of microbial protein
Apart from the cost, the most important factors to consider when choosing a fat supplements are palatability, digestibility, and effect on dry matter intake. Do not forget, however, the cow is the final judge!
References:
Elliott, J.P., T.R. Overton and J.K. Drackley 1994. Digestibility and effects of three forms of mostly saturated fatty acids. J. Dairy Sci. 77:789-798.
Ferlay, A.,J. Chabrot, Y. Elmeddah, and M. Doreau. 1993. Ruminal lipid balance and intestinal digestion by dairy cows fed calcium
Weiss, W. P. Wyatt, D. J. 2004. Digestible energy values of diets with different fat supplements when fed to lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 87, 1446-1454.
Wu, Z., O. A. Ohajuruka, D. L. Palmquist. 1991. Ruminal synthesis, biohydrogenation, and digestibility of fatly acids by dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 74:3025-3034.
Van Nevel, C. J.and Demeyer, D. I. (1996) Control of Metanogenesis. Environ Monit Assess 77-101
Related topics
Authors:
Joe Magadi
UFAC
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Joe Magadi
UFAC
11 de septiembre de 2013
Inam, changing any dietary regime of a dairy cow always requires that the animal is given time to adapt. This is also true with the metabolic adjustment the animal's body needs to make to be able to cope with functionality of the feedstuff. Calcium soaps are particularly bitter in taste so there will be a need for some time to get used to the fat supplement. I would suggest a week of adaptation.
Joe Magadi
UFAC
26 de noviembre de 2012

For those doubting the effect of calcium soaps on DMI please read the review paper, " Effect of Diet on Short-Term Regulation of Feed Intake by Lactating Dairy Cattle", by M S Allen of Michigan State University in 2000 J Dairy Sci. 83: 1598-1624, specifically page 1612.

Our fat supplements are made from vegetable and marine oils processed on cereal fibre under specific temperature and duration. The oils are adsorbed into the matrix of the carrier base leaving no free-floating fatty acid globules to coat fibre and impact negatively on rumen fermentation. More importantly, the carrier material is ground to a specific particle size that enables the product to be washed way rapidly from the rumen in the liquor. Because of the short residence time in the rumen, the fats have minimal opportunity to upset microbial fermentation. Downstream the fatty acids are slowly released, digested and absorbed in the blood stream to provide the liver with the energy for milk production.

Joe Magadi
UFAC
19 de abril de 2012

Dr Velan,

Our experience with calcium soaps is that despite getting the cow to acclimatise to the product still you have some level of reduced DMI. This is commonly noticed with high yielding dairy cows whose rumen pH conditions are relatively low due to high concentrate feeding. As a result there is dissociation of the product into fatty acids and Calcium with later upsetting cellulolytic microbial fermentation.

Jaime Alcañiz
1 de febrero de 2012

Mr Magadi

Than you very much for you interesting article but I would like to add some comments. You say that calcium salts decrease DMI and milk yield and you based your comment in the study made by Weiss and Wyatt (2004). I would like to note that in this article when cows were fed with 1.7% of Calcium salt, DMI increased and whne the quantity of calcium salt increase to 3.4%, milk production increased more than 5 litre/cow/day in spite of DMI was reduced. There are a lot of works made with calcium salts that DMI was not decreased, specially when calcium salt was included below 3% like Fouladi-Nasha et al (2007), Garnsworthy et al. (2008), moallem et al. 2000).... I agree with you that high % of calcium salts tend to decrease DMI but calcium salts used at dose under 3% don't produce any problem on DMI and increase milk production and milk efficiency.

I would like to know some results about dry fats because you don’t show any data about dry fats. Thanks and best regards

Dr. Inam Ullah Khan
11 de abril de 2013

I would like to know that when we want to shift dairy cow from one company calcium soap to other, can we shift it abruptly or slowly? Please throw some light.

Samy  Ibrahim Barakat
27 de marzo de 2013
to increase fat u can increase fiber (specialy long fiber ) percentage
Qamar Abbas
27 de marzo de 2013
thanx nice informative article.but my questionis protected fat increase milk fat? if yes to what extent and plz tell me to increase my farm milk fat ,except good quality fibers what other things i have to adopt?
Samy  Ibrahim Barakat
26 de noviembre de 2012

I agree with you MAGADI that the product reduced DMI specially high yieliding cows if it increased more than 3.5%

Diaa Eldien
21 de noviembre de 2012

We must add protected fat to the high producing cow to cover requirements for energy at maximam 3% from dry matter intake .

Jiwan Gupta
20 de noviembre de 2012
NOW A DAYS MANY COMPANIES HAVE LAUNCHED SO CALLED BYEPASS FATS.ACTUALLY MANY OF THESE ARE ACTUALLY NOT BYEPASS OR RUMEN PROTECTED.SO SUCH FATS WHEN GIVEN AT DOSAGE OF MORE THAN 200GM PER DAY PER ANIMAL RESULTS IN CONSIDERABLE DISTURBANCE IN FIBRE DIGESTION AND HENCE RUMEN DYSFUNCTION AND RESULTING IN REDUCED DMI AND MILK YIELD.SUPPLEMENTATION OF LIVE YEAST COULD BE VERY HELPFUL IN SUCH CASES.
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