Comparative efficiency of various fats rich in medium-chain fatty acids to suppress ruminal methanogenesis as measured with RUSITEC

A RUSITEC apparatus equipped with eight fermenters was used to investigate the effects of seven different fats with high proportions of medium-chain fatty acids (C 8:0 –C 16:0 ) supplied at a level of 53 g kg −1 DM. In detail, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, tallow, milk fat and two types of canola oils, both genetically enriched with lauric acid, were compared with a diet supplemented with prilled fat. The prilled fat was selected from three different rumen-protected fats in a preliminary experiment as the least effective one regarding methane release. Palm kernel oil, coconut oil and one of the canola oils significantly (P