British Journal of Nutrition

Table of Contents - 2008 - Volume 100, Issue 01  

Full Papers

Effect of dietary alpine butter rich in conjugated linoleic acid on milk fat composition of lactating sows

Alexandra Schmida1 c1, Marius Collomba1, Giuseppe Beea1, Ulrich Bütikofera1, Daniel Wechslera1, Pius Eberharda1 and Robert Siebera1

a1 Agroscope Liebefeld-Posieux Research Station ALP, Schwarzenburgstrasse 161, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Abstract

Multiparous sows (n 17) were included in a controlled cross-over-study in order to investigate the influence of a natural source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (alpine butter) on the milk fatty acid composition of lactating sows (as an animal model for lactating women) and on the growth performance of their progeny. The usual fat source of a standard lactation diet was replaced by either CLA-rich alpine butter or margarine (control diet). Compared with the margarine diet, feeding the alpine butter-supplemented diet increased (P < 0·001) the CLA concentration in the milk fat (742·3 (sd 272·0) v. 107·7 (sd 34·7) mg/100 g fat). Eleven of fourteen CLA isomers were higher (P ≤ 0·004) in milk fat after feeding the alpine butter-supplemented diet but the transfer was not proportional. The milk fat concentration of the sow milk and the level of SFA, MUFA and PUFA were not (P>0·05) affected. Growth performance of the progeny was similar for both dietary treatments. In summary, the findings show that adding alpine butter to the diet does not provoke a milk fat depression and does not alter the composition of total SFA, MUFA and PUFA in sow milk but increases its CLA concentration.

(Received March 14 2007)

(Revised September 18 2007)

(Accepted October 26 2007)

(Online publication February 18 2008)

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Correspondence:

c1 Corresponding author: Alexandra Schmid, fax +41 31 323 82 27, email alexandra.schmid@alp.admin.ch

Footnotes

Abbreviations: BU, lactation diet with alpine butter; CLA, conjugated linoleic acid; MA, alpine butter margarine; VA, vaccenic acid.