Veterinary Related Issues Associated with Feeding Free Fatty Acids to Dairy Cows Pre- and Postpartum

Abstract

In confined dairy production units, reproductive efficiency is a major concern for the attending veterinarian. Many parameters influence reproductive performance of lactating dairy cows. While attending veterinarians do not necessarily formulate dry cow, transition, and lactating cow diets, they could influence how these diets are formulated and fed. With increasing costs of commodity grains and traditional starch sources, producers are seeking economical means to supply dairy production animals with dietary energy. Indirect fat supplementation, in the form of grain and oil seeds, and some forages such as corn silage, are usual sources of dietary fat. In addition to these common feed sources of lipid-based energy, the dairy practitioner has alternatives to provide free fatty acids to a dairy production animal diet. Dairy veterinarians must understand how provision of free fatty acids can influence reproductive performance and health.