Fat in Lactation Rations : Review

Recent research has demonstrated the effectiveness of added fat in diets to maintain milk production and fat percent. Much of the earlier work which indicated that fat affects digestion negatively may not be applicable because of great differences in the nature of diets and fats fed and especially in total feed intake. Nevertheless, much remains to be learned about interactions of fat, fiber, calcium, and rumen microorganisms if feeding of fat is to be maximized. The uniquely high acidity in the duodenum combined with detergent action of bile acids, lysolecithin, and fatty acids causes saturated fatty acids to be more digestible in ruminants than in nonruminants. Large quantities of added dietary fat increase concentrations in plasma of very low density lipoprotein triglyceride which increases their uptake by the mammary gland with inhibition of short chain fatty acid synthesis and consequent changes in milk fatty acid composition. In some cases, secretion of milk fat is increased. Current research and practice demonstrate that 3 to 5% fat may be added to diets for lactation to increase energy intake of high-producing cows and/or to reduce starch feeding, thereby increasing the ratio of forage to concentrate to prevent depression of milk fat.