Milk fatty acid profile of cows fed monensin and soybean oil in early lactation

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effects of dietary monensin and soybean oil on milk fatty acid (FA) profile in the 5,h and 15,h week of lactation of dairy cows. Sixteen multiparous crossbred dairy cows averaging 30 days in milk were assigned to a completely randomized block design in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (presence or absence of monensin and soybean oil). The following diets were used: control not Supplemented with monensin or soybean oil (CT), 33 ppm of monensin (MN), 3.9% of soybean oil (OL) or a combination of soybean oil plus monensin (OM). Cows were confined and fed diets with 52% of corn silage and 48% of concentrate. No significant interaction between soybean oil and monensin was observed for any measured FA. Monensin increased unsaturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FA by 9.0, 8.8 and 10.7%, respectively, while supplementation with soybean oil resulted in greater responses: 39.2, 39.3, and 24.2% for the same FA. Soybean oil also reduced short chain FA (43.7%) and medium chain FA (49.1%) and increased long chain FA (55.3%) in this study. The isomers trans-C-18:1 were increased by inclusion of oil and monensin in the diet indicating an additive effect for trans-10 C-18:1 that was negatively correlated with milk fat content. The CLA isomer cis-9 trans-11 C-18:2 was not affected by treatments but soybean oil reduced Delta(9)-desaturase activity. There were interactions between treatment and week of lactation for short and medium chain FA, C-14:0, C-16:0, cis-9 C-18:1 and trans-10. The combination of monensin and soybean oil in diet of lactating dairy cows was responsible for the most significant changes observed in the profile of milk FA.