Factors affecting body tissue mobilization in early lactation dairy cows. 2. Effect of dietary fat on mobilization of body fat and protein.

Twenty-two multiparous Holstein cows were fed either a control diet or a control diet plus 3% added fat (dry matter basis) to determine the effect of added dietary fat on body tissue mobilization and milk production. Body composition measurements were taken using the D2O dilution technique at -2, 5, and 12 wk postpartum. Cows fed added fat produced 2.7 kg/d more milk than did those fed the control diet alone, but milk production, milk composition, and dry matter intake were not affected by diet. The maximum amount of body tissue loss occurred between -2 and 5 wk postpartum when cows fed both diets mobilized 46 kg of body fat and 12 kg of body protein. Between 5 and 12 wk postpartum, only small changes in both body protein and body fat were observed. Even though cows fed added fat showed a tendency toward reduced body fat mobilization (66 kg for cows fed the control diet vs. 37 kg for cows fed the control diet plus added fat) and increased body protein mobilization (4.8 kg for cows fed the control diet vs. 19.5 kg for cows fed the control diet plus added fat), the differences were not significant. Apparent differences in fat mobilization between diets might have been due to initial body fat stores (159 kg for cows fed the control diet vs. 126 kg for cows fed the control diet plus added fat). Across diets, one unit of change in body condition score corresponded to about 55 kg of empty body fat. Supplemental dietary fat did not reduce body tissue mobilization in early lactation.