Board-invited review: Recent advances in biohydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids within the rumen microbial ecosystem.

Recent advances in chromatographic identification of CLA isomers, combined with interest in their possible properties in promoting human health (e.g., cancer prevention, decreased atherosclerosis, improved immune response) and animal performance (e.g., body composition, regulation of milk fat synthesis, milk production), has renewed interest in biohydrogenation and its regulation in the rumen. Conventional pathways of biohydrogenation traditionally ignored minor fatty acid intermediates, which led to the persistence of oversimplified pathways over the decades. Recent work is now being directed toward accounting for all possible trans-18:1 and CLA products formed, including the discovery of novel bioactive intermediates. Modern microbial genetics and molecular phylogenetic techniques for identifying and classifying microorganisms by their small-subunit rRNA gene sequences have advanced knowledge of the role and contribution of specific microbial species in the process of biohydrogenation. With new insights into the pathways of biohydrogenation now available, several attempts have been made at modeling the pathway to predict ruminal flows of unsaturated fatty acids and biohydrogenation intermediates across a range of ruminal conditions. After a brief historical account of major past accomplishments documenting biohydrogenation, this review summarizes recent advances in 4 major areas of biohydrogenation: the microorganisms involved, identification of intermediates, the biochemistry of key enzymes, and the development and testing of mathematical models to predict biohydrogenation outcomes.

Effect of varying levels of fatty acids from palm oil on feed intake and milk production in Holstein cows.

To determine the optimum feeding level of fatty acids of palm oil (PALM; Energizer RP10; 86.6% palmitic acid) on milk production, lactating cows (n = 18) were randomly assigned to a treatment sequence in replicated 4 x 4 Latin squares. Animals were assigned to squares by parity (3 multiparous and 1 primiparous squares with primiparous in the incomplete square). The 4 diets were designed to provide 0, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 g of PALM per day. Cows were fed individually with feed intake measured daily. Each period lasted 16 d with milk production and composition determined the final 2 d. Milk production, milk composition and feed intake data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Milk yields were 30.9, 34.0, 34.2, and 34.2 kg/ d (SEM = 1.9) for the 0, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 g levels, respectively. Milk yield was increased by the addition of PALM; however, there were no differences among the levels of PALM. Milk fat percentage was also increased from 3.44% for 0 g to 3.95% (SEM = 0.17) across all levels of PALM but there were no differences among the PALM treatments. Dry matter intakes were 23.3, 26.4, 24.7, and 23.8 kg/d (SEM = 1.4) for the 0, 500, 1,000 and 1,500 g levels, respectively. The addition of PALM increased milk yield and milk fat percentage, and no adverse effects on dry matter intake were observed.

Direct methylation procedure for converting fatty amides to fatty acid methyl esters in feed and digesta samples.

Two direct methylation procedures often used for the analysis of total fatty acids in biological samples were evaluated for their application to samples containing fatty amides. Methylation of 5 mg of oleamide (cis-9-octadecenamide) in a one-step (methanolic HCl for 2 h at 70 degrees C) or a two-step (sodium methoxide for 10 min at 50 degrees C followed by methanolic HCl for 10 min at 80 degrees C) procedure gave 59 and 16% conversions of oleamide to oleic acid, respectively. Oleic acid recovery from oleamide was increased to 100% when the incubation in methanolic HCl was lengthened to 16 h and increased to 103% when the incubation in methoxide was modified to 24 h at 100 degrees C. However, conversion of oleamide to oleic acid in an animal feed sample was incomplete for the modified (24 h) two-step procedure but complete for the modified (16 h) one-step procedure. Unsaturated fatty amides in feed and digesta samples can be converted to fatty acid methyl esters by incubation in methanolic HCl if the time of exposure to the acid catalyst is extended from 2 to 16 h.