Effect of crude olive cake supplementation on camel milk production and fatty acid composition

By-products from olive culture provided to camel could modify the fatty acid composition of its milk. The present experiment involving ten lactating she-camels divided in two groups aimed to evaluate the effect of enriched diet with crude olive cake on the milk production, milk fat excretion and fatty acid composition. The control group received diet including alfalfa, barley and concentrate. In the treated group, barley was partially substitute by olive cake (3 kg.day(-1) as fed) for more than 3 months. There was no negative or positive impact on milk production, the fat and protein content in milk. However, a significant increase of total quantity of fat and protein excreted in milk was observed in treated group. Some changes were observed in fatty acid composition with a decrease of medium-chain fatty acids (C15:0 iso, C15:0, C16:0 iso, C17:1) but also vaccenic acid (C18:1 omega-7). At reverse an increase of palmitic (C16:0) and gamma-linolenic acid (C18:3 omega-6) was observed after 3 months of olive cake distribution. As for other ruminants, it is possible to modulate the fatty acid composition of camel milk by the diet, but further trials for longer period and highest quantity of olive cake have to be implemented in camel.