Feeding Calcium Salts of Fatty Acids to Lactating Cows

Digestibility and production responses to feeding Ca salts of fatty acids were determined in lactating cows. Cows 120 d in milk were fed 4% of DM as Ca salts of fatty acids using chromium oxide mordanted corn silage as unabsorbed reference substance. Digestion of DM and N did not change, fatty acid digestion increased, and Ca percentage absorption decreased. Milk and milk fat production were enhanced. In production experiments in Pennsylvania, cows in early lactation were fed 54% of total diet as roughage and .45 kg/d Ca salts of fatty acids. Milk increased by 4% and FCM by 6%. Plasma somatotropin decreased, and insulin was not changed. In similar experiments in Israel with 31% of total diet as roughage, feeding .5 kg/d Ca salts of fatty acids to cows following parturition enhanced milk by 5% and FCM by 9.5%. The production increment of Ca salts of fatty acids decreased following peak lactation. No after effects of feeding Ca salts were observed. Body weight changes and rumen VFA were similar, whereas DM intake was .9kg less and plasma FFA decreased with feeding Ca salts. It is concluded that inclusion of Ca salts of fatty acids in early lactation enhances production of milk and FCM.