›› 2012, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (10): 108-112.

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Effects of Supplementing Different Ratios of Short-medium Chain Fatty Acids and Long Chain Fatty Acids on the Immune Function in Mid-lactating Dairy Cows

XU Xiao-yan1,2, BU Deng-pan2, SUN Peng2, CUI Hai2, ZHAO Xiao-wei2, SUN Yan2, ZHAO Guo-qi1   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science & Technology,Yangzhou University,Yangzhou 225009,China;
    2. State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition,Institute of Animal Sciences,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Beijing 100193, China
  • Received:2012-03-19 Online:2012-10-20 Published:2012-10-19

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing different ratios of short-medium chain fatty acids (SMCFA) and long chain fatty acids (LCFA) on the immune function in mid-lactating dairy cows. Seventy-two Chinese Holstein cows were blocked by the milk yield, lactation day age and parity, and then assigned to six groups. The animals were fed 0 g/d, 400 g/d LCFA, 80 g/d SMCFA, 320 g/d LCFA, 400 g/d butter fat, 240 g/d SMCFA and 160 g/d LCFA and 400 g/d SMCFA respectively on the basis of ordinary diets for the control, group A and group B,group C, group D and group E. The experiment lasted 63 days and on the last day, blood samples were collected to determine the concentrations of serum immunoglobulin IgA, IgG, IgM, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and cytokines. The results showed that among all the groups, IgM and PGE2 were not affected by supplementing fatty acids (P>0.05). The concentrations of IgA in group A was higher than that in groups B and E and the concentrations of IgG in groups B and D were higher than the other four groups(P<0.05). Interleukin-4 and 10 increased after supplementing fatty acids, especially in group D(P<0.01). In conclusion, supplementing fatty acids which consisted of 240 g/d SMCFA and 160 g/d LCFA could improve the immune functions in mid-lactating dairy cows well.

Key words: dairy cows; fatty acids; immune function

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