Increasing Conjugated Linoleic Acid Content in Milk and Cheese after Supplementing a Blend of Crude Soybean Oil Sediment Combined with Fish Oil to Grazing Dairy Cows

The aim of the work was to improve the healthy value of milk and cheese fatty acids (FA) by feeding a mix of crude soybean oil sediment (CSOS) combined with fish oil (FO) to grazing dairy cows. The CSOS is a by-product commonly discarded after oil extraction containing 3.3% moisture, 6% total ash and 70.7% oil, locally available, comparatively economic and easy to mix with other feed ingredients. The experiment lasted 55 days from September 30th to November 23th 2018 and was carried out at the dairy farm “Gacef” provider of milk to the dairy industrial plant “Capilla Del Señor” (CDS) located at the Villa María City, Córdoba Province, Argentine. A herd of 80 multiparous Holstein cows producing 24 kg-1 milk·cow-1·day-1 was used. The cows grazed an alfalfa and an oat pasture that represented about 47% of total dry matter (DM) intake supplemented at 8.5 kg DM·cow-1·day-1 with a total mixed ration (TMR) composed (DM basis) by cracked corn grain (35.18%), whole plant corn silage (31.98%), pelletized soyben meal (17.99%), the CSOS supplement (13.85%) and FO (0.99%). The TMR was supplied by halves after each milking time in groupal feeders yielding 1.4 kg·cow-1·day-1 of the CSOS and 0.1 kg·cow-1·day-1 of FO. Before the start of lipid supplementation, milk samples (5) were obtained from the farm-tank representing the standar or reference milk (Ref-Milk). After 21 days of supplementary lipid supply, additional milk samples (5) were obtained representing the modified milk (Mod-Milk). Milk samples were analyzed for chemical composition and milk FA profile. At each time, sufficient quantities of both (Ref- and Mod-Milk) were collected for manufacturing six types of cheeses. The results were analyzed through the Student-T test for independent observations. Oil supplementation did not modify (P > 0.05) the chemical composition of milk. Concentration of butyric acid (C4:0) in milk was not affected (P < 0.858). Concentration of total saturated FA (SFAs) in Ref-Milk averaged 58.83 g 100 g-1 FA and was decreased to 49.67 g 100 g-1 FA in Mod-Milk (P < 0.0001). Monounsaturated FA (MUFAs) increased (P < 0.001) from 32.03 g 100 g-1 FA in Ref-Milk to 38.13 g 100 g-1 FA in Mod-Milk (+19.07%) whereas polyunsaturated FA (PUFAs) increased (+36.1%) from 4.71 to 6.41 (P < 0.004). The Mod-Milk showed a significant (P < 0.002) reduction (-15.3% or 5.9 g 100 g-1 FA) for the total concentration of the potentially atherogenic fraction of milk FA (C12:0 to C16:0). The atherogenic index (AI) also decreased (P < 0.012) from 1.98 in Ref-Milk to 1.42 in Mod-Milk (-28.4%). Concentration of vaccenic acid (VA, trans-11 C18:1) in Mod-Milk averaged 7.77 g 100 g-1 FA which represented a 162 % increase (P < 0.0001) over that observed in Ref-Milk (2.95 g 100 g-1). Concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, cis-9, trans-11 C18:2) in Ref-Milk averaged 1.47 g 100 g-1 FA and showed an important increase (P < 0.002) in the Mod-Milk (3.86 g 100 g-1 FA, +163%). The omega 6/3 ratio resulted lower (P < 0.012) in the Ref-Milk (2.28) compared to the Mod-Milk (2.83). Milk and cheese FA composition were highly correlated (R2 = 0.99, P < 0.0001). The Mod-Cheeses showed similar results in AI, total concentration of SFAs, MUFAs and PUFAs compared to the milk of origin. Differences in FA composition between the cheeses made with the Ref- and Mod-Milk were equivalent to those described for milks. It is concluded that supplementation with a blend of CSOS supplement and FO was an effective way to improve the healthy value of dairy products by reducing contents of SFAs, atherogenic FAs and the atherogenicity index with a concomitant increase in VA and CLA. Modifications induced in the Mod-Milk were recovered in the Mod-Cheeses. The results obtained may help to reduce saturated fat intake and fight or prevent incidence of non-communicable, cardiovascular and chronic diseases.

Performance of Dairy Cows Supplemented with By-Pass Fat under Heat Stress Conditions

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of supplementation with a protected fat source on the productive response, metabolic environment and physiological indicators in Holstein cows under heat stress conditions during a 12-week experimental period. Thirty Holstein cows were distributed in 15 blocks by parity (2.0 ± 1.1), days in milk (182 ± 80) and milk production (29.4 ± 5.7 kg·day-1) at the beginning of the trial and randomly assigned within each block to the following treatments (diets): SPF: supplementation with protected fat or WPF: without supplementation with protected fat. All the cows were kept in a dry-lot where they were given a partial mixed ration (PMR) ad libitum while in the milking parlor they received individual supplementation depending on the treatment. The SPF diet contained 4.0 kg·day-1 concentrate in pellet form + 0.6 kg·day-1 ground corn grain + 0.7 kg·day-1 protected fat, while the WPF diet was similar to that offered in SPF, but the protected fat was isoenergetically replaced by ground corn grain. The fat supplement contained fats of animal and vegetable origin and microencapsulation was used for its preparation. Total dry matter and metabolic energy intakes were similar (p > 0.05) between treatments. Fat corrected milk (4% FCM) production was higher (p = 0.04), while energy corrected milk and fat productions tended (p = 0.06) to be higher in cows from the SPF group, without effects (p > 0.05) on the rest of the milk production and composition parameters. These results could be attributed to an improvement in the efficiency of the use of the energy consumed. Protected fat supplementation neither modified the metabolic profile, nor reduced the respiratory rate and body temperature of heat-stressed cows. Future research is needed to explain this latter result.

Relationship between MODIS-NDVI data and wheat yield: A case study in Northern Buenos Aires province, Argentina

In countries like Argentina,whose economy depends heavily on crop production,the estimation of harvests is an elementary requirement.Besides providing objectivity,the use of remote sensing allows estimating yield in advance.Since the time of maximum leaf area in wheat corresponds with the critical period of the crop,a good relationship is expected between the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI)and yield.The present study was carried out in the North of Buenos Aires province,Argentina.Based on the type of soil,the study area can be divided into two homogeneous subzones:a subzone with lower clay content in the southwestand a subzone with higher clay content in the northeast.Nine growing seasons(2003–2011)were studied.In the first five years,an empirical model was calibrated and validated with field-observed wheat yields and MOD13q1 product-NDVI data,whereas in the other four years,the calibrated model was applied by means of yield maps and by comparing with official yields.The MOD13q1 image corresponding to Julian day 289 showed the best fit between NDVI and yield to estimate wheat yield early.Through yield maps,better weather conditions showedhigher yields and higher soil productivity presented a greater proportion of the area occupied by higher yields.At department level,an R2 value of 0.75 was found after relating the estimation of the calibrated empirical model with official yields.The method used allows predicting wheat yield 30 days before harvest.Through yield maps,the NDVI perceived the temporal and spatial variability in the study area.