01817naa a2200205 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000190006024500970007926000090017652012420018565000090142765000110143665000090144765300150145670000190147170000220149070000280151277300710154021114142024-02-06       2019    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aGUZATTI, G. C.  aRed clover silage improves milk fatty acid composition in dairy ewes.h[electronic resource]  c2019  aABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of two isoproteic total mixed rations (TMRs) containing either red clover (Trifolium pratense L.; RC diet) or lucerne (Medicago sativa L.; LU diet) silage as the major forage source on milk yield, milk composition, and milk fatty acid (FA) profile in dairy ewes. Sixteen dairy ewes were housed individually to receive the drawn diet (eight ewes eating each diet) and milked twice a day (0700 and 1500 h). Total dry matter intake, milk yield, milk composition and N use efficiency were unaffected by treatments. The n-6/n-3 FA ratio tended to decrease, while the total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and PUFAs/saturated fatty acids (SFAs) ratio increased in the milk fat of ewes fed the RC diet compared to ewes fed the LU diet. The presence of α-linolenic (C18:3 n-3) and linoleic (C18:2 n-6) acids in the milk fat was 22% higher in ewes fed the RC diet than in those fed the LU diet. Compared to the LU diet, the red clover diet had no effect on milk yield and composition, but improved the milk fatty acid profile in dairy ewes due to an increased proportion of PUFAs (in particular C18:3 n-3 and, to a lesser extent, C18:2 n-6) and a decreased n-6/n-3 FA ratio.  aEwes  aForage  aMilk  aFatty acid1 aDUCHINI, P. G.1 aGAMA, M. A. S. da1 aRIBEIRO-FILHO, H. M. N.  tCanadian Journal of Animal Sciencegv. 98, n. 4, p. 787-793, 2019.