The objective of this study was to observe the effect of using bypass fat in the diet of Bergamasca ewes on milk yield, milk composition and ewe weight dynamics. Seventy seven ewes were distributed in two homogeneous groups, according to lambing order and age fed a control diet with corn silage and concentrate; or with a control diet with bypass fat (35 g/ewe/day) added to the concentrate. The diets were isoenergetic and isonitrogenous, presenting 16% CP and 70% TDN on dry matter basis. The lambs stayed with their mothers in pastures during the day and were separated at night. They returned to their mothers after the morning milking and were weaned at 45 days of age. Forty-eight hours after lambing, ewes were machine milked once daily at 7 am and the milk yield was recorded for a period of 60 days. Milk samples were collected weekly to determine the content of milk protein and fat. The bypass fat diet showed a higher daily average milk yield after weaning the lambs (0.531 vs 0.489 kg/animal.day). However, milk yield throughout the period was not different between the two diets (0.468 vs 0.453 kg/animal.day, for bypass fat and control, respectively). Milk yield corrected to 6.5% fat and 6.5% fat and 5.8% protein were similar in both diets.
bypass fat; milk; sheep; milk yield; supplement
