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Our Fatty Acid Experience: COW-LAB-FARM Debora Santschi , PhD agr., Valacta With the collaboration of: Daniel Schwarz , PhD agr., Foss analytics NALMA meeting, Kansas City, September 2018
Our Fatty Acid Experience:COW-LAB-FARM
Debora Santschi , PhD agr., Valacta
With the collaboration of:
Daniel Schwarz , PhD agr., Foss analytics
NALMA meeting, Kansas City, September 2018
Overview
• Milk fatty acids « 101 »− What does it mean for a cow, and why do we
nutritionists want this info?
• Fatty acids at Valacta─ Where are we at in the lab?
─ Next steps?
─ How are we going to promote this?
Who am I? Grew up on a dairy farm in Quebec, Canada
Valacta R&D since 2010◦ Nutrition and Management expert
FA origin... What does it really mean?
≤ C14 C16
Synthesized in the mammary gland Come from feeds or from
body reserves
de novo or preformed
C15C17≥C18
FA origin... What does it really mean?
Synthesized in the mammary gland Come from feeds or from
body reserves
de novo or preformed
≤ C14 C16
C15C17≥C18
Starch and Fiber
RumenVolatile fatty acids
Butyrate (C4)Acetate (C2)
Propionate (C3)
de novo synthesis in the mammary gland
OH CCOH COH COH COH COH COH COH
Butyrate (C4) Acetate (C2)
FA origin... What does it really mean?
Synthesized in the mammary gland Come from feeds or from
body reserves
De novo or preformed
≤ C14 C16
C15C17≥C18
FA profile of common feeds
Additives
High palm feeds 1 0-6 2 0
Megalac 4 7 0
FeedPUFA
ForragesCorn silage 2.2 18 2
Alfalfa hay 1.6 25 4
ConcentratesHigh moisture corn 2.8 14 2
Ground Barley 2.0 23 2
Soy 17.0 12 4
Soybean meal 2.7 17 4
Canola meal 3.8 10 2
26
14
22
13
45
55
56
52
54
31
85-96
51 36
4818
837
192
2
4
8
8
8
C18:1 C18:2 C18:3C18:0C18:0 C18:1 C18:2 C18:3
26
14
22
13
45
55
56
52
54
31
4818
837
192
2
4
8
8
8
99.0
84.5
Total FA (%DM)
99.0
84.5
Total FA (%DM)
85-96
51
C16:0C16:0
36
Adipose tissue
=
C16, C18TG
Blood
C18 C18C16C16
C18:1
C18:1
C16
FA origin... What does it really mean?
Synthesized in the mammary gland Come from feeds or from
body reserves
De novo or preformed
≤ C14 C16
C15C17≥C18
So... What are the benefits of knowing milk fatty acid profiles for nutritionists?
Potential to predict what is coming
1st cut
2nd
cut
Unload from top downMore digestible
More fiber, less digestible
What impact does this have on cows?
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
21
-Mar
-18
26
-Mar
-18
31
-Mar
-18
5-A
pr-
18
10
-Ap
r-1
8
15
-Ap
r-1
8
20
-Ap
r-1
8
25
-Ap
r-1
8
30
-Ap
r-1
8
FA, g
/10
0g
FA
de novo
Mixed
Preformed
What happened?• Cows started
mobilizing• De novo synthesis
went down
FA change can probably be noticed a few days before milk or fat yield start to decrease
Producer can react EARLIER and save $$$
DeNovo Fatty Acids reflect Rumen Function430 Farm monitored over a 15-month period
Barbano 2016
High DeNovo
Higher Fat %
Rumen Function
Acetate & Butyrate production
Higher Prot %
Microbial fermentation
Microbial protein Synthesis
De Novo Fatty Acids in Bulk Tank Milk40 HO farms in NE USA – 20 High DeNovo, 20 Low DeNovo
High DeNovo farms have:◦ Higher bulk tank milk fat and protein content
High DeNovo farms are :◦ 10 x more likely to provide ≥ 18 in bunk space
◦ 5 x more likely to stock stalls at < 110%
High DeNovo farms feed:◦ More frequently (2x/d)
◦ More physically effective fibre (≥ 21%)
◦ Lower dietary fat (≤ 3.5%)
Woolpert et al. 2017
Fatty acids at ValactaWHERE ARE WE AT?
Our experience
~ 2015Started testing FA
2015-2016Tested several calibration samples
2017Back to Actalia calibration samples (4 GC labs)
2018Validation with GC (Université Laval) & Dr Barbano
2016-2018 Tracking of results with “calculated” de novo, mixed and preformed FA
2019 Planned launch of bulk tank FA2020 Planned launch of individual cows
“Calculated” Fatty acids:Calc_De novo = SCFA + MCFA –C16
Calc_Mixed = C16Calc_Preformed = LCFA
What are we doing at Valacta?6 FTIR analyzers
◦ 2 analyzers for payment (bulk tank) and 4 analyzers for individual cows (DHI)
Regular calibration◦ Preparation and/or purchase of various kits
◦ Internal
◦ External (Canada)
◦ External (Overseas)
◦ 20 components to calibrate◦ Fat, total protein, true protein, urea, BHB (2x/month)
◦ Freezing point (Fresh milk, max 48h old)
◦ Fatty acids (1x/month)
What are we doing at Valacta?Standardization
o 4x / year
o Challenge: coordinate all the calibration kits!o 5 sources of calibration kits
o 4h per Analyzer (12h for 3 lines)
o Input values sometimes need to be calculated
o Looking for a simpler solution to be able to do it more often
Our biggest challenge: repeatability and accuracy over time!
Each · is a daily average (2500 farms)
FOSS’S STANDARDISATION CONCEPT
Time
Avera
ge w
avele
ngth
FTIR
Equalizer
CALIBRATION SAMPLES – FATTY ACIDS
Fatty acid origin groups Degree of saturation – groups
De novo Mixed Preformed SFA UFA MUFA PUFA
1.39 0.69 1.04 1.64 0.90 0.75 0.15
1.82 0.90 1.36 2.13 1.18 0.97 0.19
2.21 1.09 1.65 2.59 1.43 1.18 0.24
2.61 1.29 1.95 3.06 1.69 1.40 0.28
2.97 1.47 2.23 3.49 1.93 1.59 0.32
Fatty acid origin groups Degree of saturation – groups
De novo Mixed Preformed SFA UFA MUFA PUFA
46.9 23.2 35.2 55.1 30.4 25.1 5.0
46.9 23.2 35.2 55.1 30.4 25.1 5.0
46.9 23.2 35.2 55.1 30.4 25.1 5.0
46.9 23.2 35.2 55.1 30.4 25.1 5.0
46.9 23.2 35.2 55.1 30.4 25.1 5.0
ൗ𝑔 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝐹𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝐴𝑐𝑖𝑑 100𝑔𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑘
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐹𝑎𝑡%∙0.95∙ 100 = ൗ𝑔 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝐹𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝐴𝑐𝑖𝑑 100𝑔 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝐹𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑦 𝐴𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑠
% fat
3.12
4.07
4.95
5.85
6.66
Unit: g FA/100 g milk
Unit: g FA/100 g TFA
IDF 447:2010
Milk basis
Fat basis
1. Regular standardisation of Milkoscan
2. Regular adjustment against reference method
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCEDURE
QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCEDURE
MilkoscanGas
chromatography
Slope/intercept adjustment
according to GC results
Selection of routine
samples for GC analysis
Frequency: 1/month
INTRA-LABORATORY REPRODUCIBILITY
Master
instrument
Milkoscan
1
Milkoscan
2
Milkoscan
3
Milkoscan
4
Gas
chromatography
Master
instrument
Milkoscan
5
Milkoscan
6
S/I
adjustment
DHI line
Payment line
S/I
adju
stm
ent
S/I
adju
stm
ent
S/I
adju
stm
ent
• Quality assurance critical for working with fatty acid profiles
• Recommendation:
• Regular (monthly) standardisation of Milkoscan
• Regular adjustment of instruments against reference method
• Long-term: Harmonisation of results across certain geographical areas (inter-laboratory reproducibility)
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Some results of what we seeVALACTA 2018 CORNELL 2016
5300 herds, 1 value/herd 430 herds, 15 values/herd
Cornell 2016 y = 2.2 x + 1.90Valacta 2018 y = 2.0 x + 1.94
Some results of what we seeVALACTA 2017 CORNELL 2016
Total protein True protein
Cornell 2016 y = 1.2 x + 2.01Valacta 2018 y = 0.5 x + 2.13
(Will redo calculations with true prot)
Our plan for FA
1. Optimize the results to make sure we control all possible variation in the lab
2. Do regular GC comparisons
3. Find a way to make calibration simpler
4. Launch the tool
How are we going to promote this?Graphical representation
Interactive report◦ Units
◦ Dates
◦ FA being shown
Comparison to provincial benchmark, and monitoring over time
Possibility to look at short term or long term variation
Still evaluating:◦ Possibility to have alerts triggered when one FA deviated from its normal line (Cell phone/e-mail)
◦ Possibility to see feeding/management changes shown on the graph
Can be selected by the user
Fat and ProteinDe novo, Mixed,
PreformedOptional FA
Optional: Units & Dates
g/100g fat
g/100g milk
Current projects related to FA profile-Acidosis project
- 300 cows with rumen boluses to monitor rumen pH through FA profile
- Canadian-Danish project- Using milk FA profiles from 25 000 cows to predict body weight change
- Tests of cow responses to specific rumen additives- Different feed companies
- Cows responses to heat stress to better understand metabolism
- Predictions of methane emissions from Quebec dairy farms
Rumen bolus
Besides the nutritionists, who else cares?The Cow
◦ Nutrition and management diagnostic tool
The Farmer◦ Healthy cows
◦ Maximise revenue
The Processor◦ Technological properties
The Consumer◦ Healthier fats?
◦ Labels certification
The Environment◦ Methane Emissions
www.valacta.com
www.fossanalytics.com
Thank you!
