Has anyone ever heard of feeding pressed shredded coconut flakes to milking and dry cows? We have been doing it in a small way and the fiber and fat content has stabilized our milk production as well as milk fat content with our Jerseys. The shredded coconut flakes are certified organic and are fresh...however sometimes, when we see the feces in the field are stiff, we give them a handful of fermented flakes to being them back to balance.
Any comments or information that anyone has on this subject would be helpful.
In milk fat depression unsaturate fatty acids are very important, specialy trans-10 18:1. When rumen ph is low, biohydrogenation path will change and trans 10 18:1 will produce. So milk fat will be low.
It is true trans isomers of fatty acids resulting from partial bio-hydrogenation of long chain fatty acids can impair milk fat synthesis. One of the factors affecting the extent of the bio-hydrogenation process is the residence time in the rumen. In our experience when fats and oils are processed under special condition and temperature on cereal fibre meal, the residence time of the supplement is markedly reduced and milk fat depression is not a problem.