Blood metabolites and fatty acid composition of milk and cheese from ewes fed oilseeds

Sixteen lactating Dorset ewes were used in a completely randomized design to determine the effects of oilseed supplementation on milk yield and composition, blood metabolites, cheese yield and composition and fatty acid profile of milk and cheese. Four iso-nitrogenous diets were formulated: a control diet (CT) with no oilseed supplementation, a flaxseed supplemented diet (FS), a sunflower seed supplemented diet (SF), and a canola seed supplemented diet (CS). Oilseed-supplemented diets were formulated to contain 7% fatty acids. Feeding oilseeds had no effect on dry matter intake. Milk yield was similar for ewes fed CT, FS and SF and was higher (P FS > CS. Feeding SF, FS and CS increased (P < 0.05) conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentration in milk by 83.5, 39.2 and 16.5%, respectively. Concentration of linolenic acid in milk was only increased (P < 0.05) by feeding FS. Changes in milk fatty acid profiles were reflected in the cheese. Key words: Ewes, oilseeds, milk, cheese, fatty acids