Supplementation of Prill Fat Derived from Palm Oil on Nutrient Digestibility and Dairy Cow Performance

Prill fat is a hydrogenated vegetable oil which contains more than 85% palmitic acid with a high melting point. Due to this reason, it does not melt at rumen temperature and bypass rumen degradation. This study was aimed to determine the optimum level of prill fat (86% palmitic acid) supplementation in dairy ration on fermentation characteristics, feed digestibility, milk production, milk components and milk fatty acid profiles. In vitro analysis used Randomized Block Design with 4 treatments and 4 replications and the in vivo analysis using T-Test. The in vitro result showed prill fat supplementation was significantly affected the total Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) concentration (p<0.05). The addition of prill fat significantly decreased dry matter and organic matter digestibility (p<0.01), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) digestibility (p<0.05), total protozoa biomass (p<0.01) and population of cellulolytic bacteria (p<0.05). Furthermore, supplementation of prill fat in the level of 2% had no effect on pH, ammonia (NH3)N concentration and total rumen bacteria activity. The prill fat treatment at the level of 2% had no effect on dry matter intake, milk component and milk yield on in vivo analysis. In addition, milk yield, milk component and milk fatty acids were elevated after the prill fat treatment. This research concluded, the optimum level of prill fat addition in dairy ration was at the level of 2%. Supplementation of prill fat had no effect on rumen fermentation and fiber digestibility. Prill fat supplementation can be used to augment the milk yield, milk component, fatty acid composition in milk and had no effect on Atherogenicity Index (AI) and Hypocholesterolemic/Hypercholesterolemic (HH).