Effects of diet on casein and fatty acid profiles of milk from goats differing in genotype for αS1-casein synthesis

This study investigated the interactions between nutrition and the genotype at alpha(S1)-CN loci (CSN1S1) in goats, evaluating the impact of fresh forage-based diets and an energy supplement on the casein and fatty acid (FA) profiles of milk from Girgentana goats. Twelve goats were selected for having the same genotype at the alpha(S2)-CN, beta-CN, and kappa-CN loci and differing in the CSN1S1 genotype: homozygous for strong alleles (AA) or heterozygous for strong and weak alleles (AF). Goats of each genotype were divided into three groups and, according to a 3 x 3 Latin square design, fed ad libitum three diets: sulla fresh forage (SFF), SFF plus 800 g/day of barley (SFB), and mixed hay plus 800 g/day of barley (MHB). The SFB diet led to higher-energy intake and milk yield. The energy-supplemented diets (SFB, MHB) reduced milk fat and urea and increased coagulation time. The fresh forage diets (SFF, SFB) increased dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) intake and milk beta-CN. Diet had a more pronounced effect than CSN1S1 genotype on milk FA profile, which was healthier from goats fed the SFF diet, due to the higher content of rumenic acid, polyunsaturated, and omega-3 FAs. The AA milk had longer coagulation time and higher curd firmness, higher short- and medium-chain FAs (SMFA), and lower oleic acid than AF milk. Significant diet by genotype interactions indicated the higher milk yield of AA goats than AF goats with the higher-energy SFB diet and the lower synthesis of SMFA in AF than in AA goats with the SFF diet.