20/09/2017: Fatty acids for ruminants: A revolution in knowledge and approaches

by Alfredo J. Escribano, DVM, PhD, NUTRION Internacional, www.nutrion.es/en, aescribano@nutrion.es

 Functionality: Behind fatty acids, specific functions remain

 In the recent years we have observed a great torrent of new knowledge regarding fatty acids functions and role in improving products’ quality. Therefore, nutritionists are already formulating taking into account both quantities and proportions of different fatty acids.

Productivity & Profitability: C16:0 (Trending topic in academy and field)

 C16:0 has been one of the first fatty acids to be individually considered in formulation, in order to increase milk fat percent. Palmitic acid (C16:0) has become recurrent in nutritionist conversations, as it has been proposed (and showed to be) as an effective tool to increase milk fat percent, and much of research has been carried out on this during the last years (see some examples in table 1).

Products’ healthiness for human consumption: PUFAs (Omega)

 Furthermore, essential fatty acids are being considered in fatty acids formulation due to their specific roles in cows' reproduction outcomes, immunity, inflammation regulation and also in product quality. From consumers’ behavior point of view, there is a growing demand toward healthier foods, such as PUFAs-enriched meat and dairy products. Among them, Omega-3 enriched products are star products on supermarkets’ shelves and television ads, as they have been claimed to have positive effects on both cardiovascular and neurological health, as well as on immunity and inflammation regulation.

 Consequently, the presence of these fatty acids in meat and dairy products is gaining interest day by day also for farms and the industry and allows manufacturing premium products of higher profitability. From the nutritionists’ point of view, PUFAs topic is more complex, as these fatty acids must be rumen-protected (unlike direct effect on rumen –i.e. CH₄ abatement). Thus, when technical people hear ‘PUFAs’, we think almost automatically about their externalities and the following dynamic interactions (figure 1).

Read the full article here. 

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