Ruminal biohydrogenation and abomasal flow of fatty acids in lactating cows: Oilseed provides ruminal protection for fatty acids

Abstract Fat sources, besides the energy-rich content, have featured beneficial effects on dairy cow production, reproduction and health. This work aimed to study the biohydrogenation process and fatty acid abomasal flow in lactating dairy cows fed different fat sources. Eight rumen and abomasum cannulated cows (188 ± 27.3 days in milk, 18.9 ± 3.24 kg of milk yield, and 572 ± 59.6 kg of body weight) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Control (CON) diet without fat source, soybean oil (SO), raw soybean grain (SG) and calcium salts of unsaturated fatty acids (CS) were evaluated. Fat sources decreased dry matter (DM), crude protein and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intake and increased ether extract (EE) intake and ruminal pH (P  cis concentration (P