Effects of fat supplementation in early lactation dairy cows

Abstract

Twenty-four cows were fed with 0 (NF), 3.5 (MF) or 7 (HF) % of calcium salts of palm fatty acids in the concentrate for 8 weeks after calving. The increase of total DMI in group MF tended to be slower than in the other groups during lactation weeks 1 to 4. Fat supplementation increased milk fat content linearly during lactation weeks 1 to 4. Liveweight and fat depth changes and concentration of plasma NEFA suggest that tissue mobilization was greater in MF than in other groups. Treatment did not significantly affect plasma hormone concentrations.