Triglyceride and fatty acid composition of bovine colostrum and transition milk in pasture-based dairy cows supplemented prepartum with inorganic selenium, organic selenium or rumen-protected choline

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of prepartum supplementation with inorganic selenium (INORG), organic selenium (ORG) or a rumen-protected choline, on the triglyceride (TAG) and total fatty acid (TFA) profiles of bovine colostrum and transition milk. Fifty-seven Holstein Friesian (HF) and HF x Jersey cows were supplemented daily from 49 +/- 12.9 days prior to calving until day of calving. Milk samples were analysed for TAG and TFA composition using GC-FID. Prepartum supplementation did not have a significant effect on the milk lipid profiles. This study quantified colostrum lipids not previously reported in the literature. The impact of supplementing inorganic selenium, organic selenium or rumen-protected choline during the prepartum period on the lipid composition of colostrum has not been previously investigated. Supplementing these three micro-nutrients did not significantly affect the lipid composition of colostrum or transition milks. However, this study quantified numerous triglycerides and fatty acids within colostrum from pasture-based dairy cows previously not reported in the literature.image