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Effect of Protected Saturated or Polyunsaturated Fat Fed to Pregnant and Lactating Ewes on Milk Composition, Lamb Plasma Fatty Acids and Growth¹

Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center^,4, Wooster, 44691

Abstract

Seventy-two pregnant ewes were allotted to three ration treatment groups: 1) Control: corn silage and alfalfa pellets; 2) Tallow: corn silage, alfalfa pellets and protected tallow; 3) Polyunsaturated (P/S): corn silage and protected soybean and sunflower seeds. Diet influenced plasma glucose and linoleic acid content of esterified, but not of non-esterified, fatty acids in ewe plasma. Proportions (weight %) of short chain (6:0 to 14:0) fatty acids in milk fat were reduced by both tallow and P/S diets; P/S increased milk fat linoleic acid fivefold, and milk fat percent by 50%. At birth, body weights and linoleic acid in plasma phospholipids of lambs in all treatment groups were identical. Plasma phospholipid triene/tetraene ratio of all groups indicated essential fatty acid deficiency at birth and this was reversed by 1 day of age. At 10 days of age, lambs nursing P/S ewes had plasma phospholipid linoleic acid contents 90% greater than the tallow group. At 28 days of age, weight gain of P/S lambs was 89% of the tallow group, and 66% of controls. We suggest that polyunsaturated milk without supplemental tocopherol may be toxic to young ruminants.

¹ Journal Article No. 8-77, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster.

² Department of Dairy Science.

³ Department of Animal Science.

⁴ We acknowledge Dr. A. L. Moxon for selenium analyses, and the technical assistance of Miss Alice Wagner and Mr. G. D. Rauschenberg in this study. Supported in part by East Central Ohio Chapter, American Heart Association.