SUPPLEMENTAL RUMEN-PROTECTED / BY-PASS FAT FOR LACTATING HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN COWS

The purpose of the experiment was to determine the effects of supplemental rumen protected / Bypass fat on appetite, milk yield, milk fat per cent and performance just after parturition. Analyses were performed to measure appetite, milk yield and milk fat per cent. Milk samples were analyzed for fat per cent. The four Holstein Friesian (HF) cows were fed one of two diets at parturition: 1) Control 2) Rumen protected / Bypass fat (Calcium soaps of fatty acid (CSFA)). The diets were fed as a total mixed ration (TMR) for four weeks and were composed of 66 per cent roughages (wheat straw) and 34 per cent concentrates (cotton seed cake).All cows were fed approximately 5 kg of concentrate together with ad libitum grass / wheat straw and freely access to clean water. Nil or 200 g of rumen-bypass fat was supplemented to the cows according to the treatment groups. Upon analysis, feed intake (as such basis) (20 kg/day) decreases up to 19 Kg/day and milk yield (14.5 kg/day) and milk fat (3.15%) were found to be increases up to 15.0 Kg/day and 3.35 per cent in experimental Holstein Friesian cows, respectively.