Effects of feeding calcium salts of palm fatty acids on lactation and reproduction performance in Nili Ravi buffaloes

Abstract

The objective of present study was to evaluate the effect of Ca salts of palm fatty acids on milk production, milk fat, plasma metabolites, and reproductive parameters in early-lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Sixteen early-lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes received 2 treatments in a completely randomized design with a period length of 120-d. The treatments were 1) Ctrl = basal diet without supplementation of fat, 2) Ca-FA = basal diet with calcium salts of palm fatty acids supplementation. The Ca-FA treatment increased the 3.5% fat-corrected milk yield by 11.0% compared with the Ctrl, whereas, the actual milk yield remained unaffected. The Ca-FA treatment increased the concentration of milk fat and milk fat yield by 3.5 and 11.2%, respectively, compared with the Ctrl. However, the Ca-FA treatment did not change the plasma urea nitrogen, glucose, and triglyceride, compared with the Ctrl. Similarly, the reproductive indices were not different between Ca-FA treatment versus Ctrl. In conclusion, the Ca-FA are useful to increase milk production and milk fat yield without effecting the plasma metabolites and reproductive responses in early-lactating buffalo.