Fatty Acids Profile , and ∆9 -Desaturase Index of Milk from Barki Ewes Fed Diets Supplemented with Spirulina Platensis or Fish Oil

AbstractThe current study aimed to evaluate milk fat and fatty acids profile, nutrients digestibility and lactating ewes’ performance as a response to supplementing diets with spirulina algae or fish oil in lactating barki ewes. Three experimental diets were used as follow: Control diet based on 60:10:30 concentrate feed mixture (CFM), clover hay, and bean straw (T1); control diet supplemented with 10 ml of fish oil/ kg DM (T2), control diet supplemented with 5 g Spirulina Platensis / kg DM (T3). The results showed that T2 significantly improved nutrients digestibility (DM, OM, NDF, ADF, EE) as compared with control (T1). No differences (p>0.05) were recorded between experimental groups in different blood serum parameters, milk yield, energy corrected milk (ECM), milk fat (%) and milk total solids yield. Supplementing diet with Spirulina platensis (T3) increased CLA, C18:3 n6, C18:3 n3. T2 and T3 increased milk poly-unsaturated fatty acid and declined ∆9 desaturase index as compared with T1. The results of the current study suggested that supplementing diets with fish oil or Spirulina platensis had a potential positive impact in milk fatty acid profile which have a healthy benefit.