Production of healthier goat milk. Use of a concentrate supplemented with a "protected" fat rich in PUFA

In order to obtain healthier goat milk as far as its fat composition is con cerned, milk production and composition trials were carried out with Granad ina goats kept in semi-extensive breeding conditions. The animals were feed ing indoors with a concentrate supplemented or not with 7% of fat convenien tly protected against the action of rumen, which had 35% of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The amount of milk produced was higher (p < 0.05) with consumption of the fat supplemented concentrate. At the same time, and alt hough there was no difference in the milk concentration of fat and protein nitrogen (p > 0.05), the corresponding yields were higher for consumption o f the fat supplemented concentrate. As for the composition of milk fat, the use of the supplemented concentrate resulted in fat with a higher (p < 0.0 5) concentration of PUFA and a lower (p < 0.05) concentration of stearic ac id. At the same time, the concentration of medium chain triglycerides, whic h is the specific nutritional value particular to goats' milk, was the same whichever concentrate was consumed.