Conjugated Linoleic Acid in Rumen Fluid and Milk Fat, and Methane Emission of Lactating Goats Fed a Soybean Oil-based Diet Supplemented with Sodium Bicarbonate and Monensin

A metabolic study was conducted with four ruminally-cannulated lactating goats (Saanen, 29 weeks lactation, 65 5 kg) in a 4x4 Latin square design with 4 dietary treatments. The goats were fed a basal mixed diet consisting of 80% concentrate and 20% chopped rye grass hay (DM basis, CON). The goats were also fed the CON diet supplemented with soybean oil at a 5% level of the concentrate (SO), the SO diet supplemented with 0.5% of sodium bicarbonate (SO-B) or the SO-B diet supplemented with 30 ppm monensin (SO-BM). The goats were housed in individual pen and the study was conducted for 8 weeks. An increased molar proportion of propionate (C-3) was observed at 1 h (p<0.003) and 6 h (p<0.029) post-feeding from all the supplemented diets. Calculated methane emission was markedly decreased prior to morning feeding (p<0.01), and at 1 h (p<0.05) and 6 h post-feeding (p<0.05) in goats fed the supplemented diets. All the supplements increased (p<0.0001) cis9, trans11-CLA content in rumen fluid. Concentrations of both cis9, trans11-CLA (p<0.0001) and trans10, cis12-CLA (p<0.026) were also increased in the milk fat of lactating goats fed the supplemented diets. The SO-B and SO-BM diets further increased CLA content in goat milk compared to the SO diet. All supplements increased unsaturated (UFA, p<0.002), monounsaturated (MUFA, p<0.002) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (p<0.014) and reduced SFA to UFA ratio (p<0.023). The concentration of MUFA was even greater (p<0.002) for SO-BM than for the SO-B diet. In conclusion, feeding soybean oil (5% of concentrate) to lactating goats was a useful way to improve milk fat and to improve fatty acid profile in the milk by increasing potentially healthy fatty acids such as CLA. Supplementation of sodium bicarbonate or sodium bicarbonate with monensin to the soybean oil-based diet increased CLA content further in goat milk. Supplementation of soybean oil may be an effective method to reduce methane emission in lactating goats.