Conjugated linoleic acid content of milk and milk products as influenced by dietary fat sources in buffaloes

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content in buffalo's milk as influenced by dietary level and sources offat and impact of processing on milk into milk products was evaluated. Multiparous lactating Murrah buffaloes (18) yielding 8-10 kg milk/d, were divided into 3 equal groups and fed isonitrogenous concentrate mixtures containing solvent extracted groundnut cake (group 1), expeller pressed groundnut cake (group 2) and expeller pressed mustard cake (group 3) as major source offat. The ether extract content ofcorresponding concentrate mixtures was 2.5, 4.6 and 4.8% respectively. After an adaptation ofbuffaloes on experimental diets for 30 days, total daily OM intake during the experimental period of 90 days in solvent extracted groundnut oil cake, expeller pressed oil cake and mustard oil cake was 3.42, 3.12 and 3.07 kg 11 00 kg body weight, respectively, and the variation among groups was nonsignificant. Average daily milk yield and its composition did not vary significantly due to variation in dietary fat level and source. However, milk CLA content (mg/g fat) particularly cis 9 trans /1, was highest in group 3 (6.18) than in groups 2 (6.05) and 1 (5.04) and the variation between groups I and 3 was significant. CLA content in milk products, viz. cheese, paneer and ghee, prepared from the milk of each group, did not vary significantly among groups and among milk products. Omega 3 fatty acid level was higher (P<0.05) in the milk fat of group 3 than that in other groups., Though omega '6 fatty acid followed the trend similar to Omega 3 but its level did not vary in cheese. The ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids was narrower in the milk and milk products of group 3 than that in other groups, which is considered to be an ideal from human health point of view. It was concluded that level and source of dietary fat affect the CLA content of buffalo milk, however, processing of milk into different milk products did not affect their CLA content.