EFFECT OF FEEDING LINSEED AND LINSEED OIL ON THE COMPOSITION OF FATTY ACIDS IN LACTATING MURRAH BUFFALO MILK

The objective of the current study was to determine how supplementing with whole linseed (WLS) and linseed oil (LSO) affected the composition of fatty acids in lactating Murrah buffaloes. Eighteen Murrah buffaloes were separated into three groups (T0, T1, and T2), each consisting of six animals, two weeks after giving birth, according to their body weight (516.50±9.53 kg), amount of milk produced (7.55±0.3 kg), percentage of fat (6.67±0.29%), and lactation stage (2 weeks post-partum). To meet the nutritional needs of Murrah buffaloes, the Control group (T0) of buffaloes received a basal diet consisting of wheat straw (WS), green fodder, and concentrate mixture (69.03:30.97; roughage: concentrate ratio). In the experimental feeding trial that is being described, the control feed is supplemented with either linseed oil (250 g/d) in T1 and whole linseed (570 g/d) in T2. The experimental diets are fed to the Murrah buffaloes for a period of two months, beginning at 15 days following parturition. On the other hand, the data was recorded over a six-month period. To determine the nutrient’s digestibility, a seven-day digestion trial was carried out following the feeding trial. The results demonstrated that there were no significant effects (P>0.05) of linseed oil or whole linseed supplementation on total DMI, live weight change, nutrient digestibility, milk yield, or milk composition. In comparison to the Control group (T0), diets supplemented with linseed oil and whole linseed diets led to a decrease in C12:0-C16:0 FA (P<0.05) and an increase in trans-9,12-C18:2, cis-9,12,15-C18:3, and cis-6,9,12-18:3 (P<0.05). Diets rich in linseed produced higher (P<0.05) milk fat cis-9,12,15-C18:3, which corresponded to 76.20% and 85.71% in the T1 and T2 groups, respectively, when compared to the T0 group. Milk cis-9,trans-11-CLA significantly increased (P<0.05) in T1 and T2 (11% and 115%, respectively) compared to the control due to the biohydrogenation of linoleic acid in the buffaloes’ rumen. In the T1 and T2 groups, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in the concentrations of milk DHA. Consequently, when compared to the control diet, the animals fed linseed oil and whole linseed diets had higher milk unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) (45.06 % and 46.87%) and lower milk saturated fatty acids (27.21% and 30.00%). The UFA to SFA ratio also increased in the LSO and WLS containing groups compared to the Control group (P<0.05). In comparison to the Control group, the T1 (121.21%; 62.61 respectively) and T2 (124.24%; 61.71% respectively) groups showed a significant (P<0.05) improvement in the proportion of total n-3 and n-6 fatty acid. In conclusion, adding linseed oil or whole linseed to Murrah buffaloes did not change the amount of milk produced or its composition; however, it did increase trans-11-C18:1, cis-9, trans-11-CLA, n-3 fatty acid, and unsaturated fatty acid while significantly lowering saturated fatty acid. Thus, adding 250 g/d of linseed oil or 570 g/d of whole linseed to the milk of nursing Murrah buffalo may help to improve the milk’s fatty acid profile.