Effect of corn and beet pulp based concentrates on sheep milk and cheese fatty acid composition when fed Mediterranean fresh forages with particular reference to conjugated linoleic acid cis-9, trans-11

Sixty-four Sarda dairy sheep fed fresh forage based diets were allocated to eight groups in early lactation (i.e., 44 days in milk, winter period, growing stage of the forages) and at mid-lactation (i.e., 98 days in milk, spring period, reproductive stage of the forages) to evaluate effects of corn grain or beet pulp based supplementation on milk and cheese fatty acid (FA) composition. Four forage species were compared, being: annual ryegrass (RY; Lolium rigidum Gaudin), sulla (SU; Hedysarum coronarium L.), burr medic (BM; Medicago polymorpha L.) and crown daisy, (CD; Chrysanthemum coronarium L.). The supplements differed in carbohydrate composition consisting either of 600 g/kg (dry matter basis) corn grain (concentrate C) or 400 g/kg sugar beet pulp (concentrate BP) and were offered at a fixed rate (C, 500 g/day; BP, 530 g/day) to provide a similar metabolizable energy and crude protein supply. Forage species affected (P