Effect Of Sunflower Oil And Tea Oil On Ruminal Fermentation, Milk Fatty Acid Profile, And Microbial Population In Lactating Buffaloes

In recent years there have been numerous studies on increasing CLA content in the milk of dairy cattle, beef, goat, sheep using a dietary supplement of vegetable oils, but water buffaloes are limited. The experiment was to evaluate the effect of sunflower oil and tea oil feeding on the CLA content of buffalo milk. Thirty two healthy and same body condition lactating buffaloes were randomly assigned to receive dietary treatment. The four dietary treatments were control group (unsupplementation), sunflower oil group-(supplemental sunflower oil at4%of concentrate), tea oil group (supplemental tea oil at4%of concentrate), mixed group (supplemental sunflower oil and tea oil in ratio1:1at4%of concentrate), respectively. Buffalo recieved concentrate at5kg/d, some roughages and water were available at free choice. Roughages include elephant grass, corn silage, cassava pulp and beer pulp. Vegetable oils and concentrate were mixed in above-mentioned ratio, feed twice a day(09:00and17:00h).The experiment lasted43days, which included a15days adjustment period a28days experimental period. Recorded milk production every day from the experimental period, collected buffalo milk every7days and then measured milk composition and milk fatty acid composition. At the last day of the experimental period, runimal fluid samples and blood were collected and then tested rumen fermentation parameters, ruminal fluid fatty acid, ruminal microbial population and blood biochemical indexes. The result revealed that supplymentation of sunflower oil and tea oil at4%of concentrate decreased milk production and increased milk fat percentage significantly (P<0.05), Supplementation with different vegetable oils decreased concentration of ruminal NH3-N siginificantly(P<0.05)while the acetate to propionate ratio was dramatically increased(P<0.05). Meanwhile total volatile fatty acid concentrations were decrease insignificantly(P>0.05) Feeding with sunflower oil and tea oil increased the CLA content of buffalo milk, relative to controul group, the CLA concentraton in milk fat on sunflower oil group was significantly increased by44.54%(P<0.05). Mixed group was more effective than another groups in regulating PUFA/SFA of buffalo milk. In addition, supplementation with sunflower oil and tea oil increased cis9-C18:1, C18:2, C18:0and decreased in C16:0(P>0.05). Feeding sunflower oil and tea oil increased the concentration of transl1-C18:1, C18:2, C18:0, and the concentration of these fatty were highest in mixed group(P<0.05). Relative quantification real-time PCR was used to quantify several bacterial species, protozoa, fungi in rumen. The results revealed that feeding sunflower oil and tea oil decreased the amount of F.succinogenes and prevotellaspp significantly(.P<0.05), and had not significant influence on protozoa,fungi, cellulolytic bacteria and methanogens(P>0.05). Supplementation with sunflower oil and tea oil had not significant difference in CHOL,TG,HDL-C, LDL-C, GLU, TP, ALT, AST, BUN in blood (P>0.05).