Effect of dietary supplementation with cryo-cristallizzed fatty acids pn milk production and metabolic profile in buffalo cows

The effects of dietary supplementation with cryo-crystallized fatty acids (CCFA) had been evaluated on milk production and metabolic profile in Italian Mediterranean buffalo cows bred in Southern Italy. In a first trail 20 buffalo cows were equally divided in treated (T) and control (C) groups. Treated group received 400 g of CCFA as dietary supplementation promptly after calving. At the same time other 10 buffalo cows were divided in treated (SC) and control (CS) group and SC group received the same CCFA supplementation until 55 days in milk. After the 55th day the buffalo cows were crossed between groups, i.e. SC group became control and CS group became treated. The trail ended on the 95th day of lactation. In a second trial 18 buffalo cows were divided in T and C groups as above but CCFA dietary supplementation started in the treated group at the 50th day of lactation. This trial ended at 110 days in milk. Trial 1. T group yielded a higher quantity of milk, 4% fatty corrected milk (4% FCM), milk fat and proteins (g/die) and had higher haematologic levels of NEFA (P<0.05), total cholesterol (P<0.05), HDL cholesterol (P<0.01) and lower levels of BOHB (P=0.05) and insulin (P<0.05) than C group. Over the whole experimental period (95 d) the SC subgroup yielded a higher quantity of milk and 4% FCM and a lower milk protein percentage. Trail 2. CCFA dietary supplementation increased milk fat % as well as haematic levels of total cholesterol (P<0.05) and NEFA (P<0.01).