Feeding Calcium-Ammonium Nitrate to Lactating Dairy Goats: Milk Quality and Ruminal Fermentation Responses

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Calcium-ammonium nitrate (CAN) has been extensively used as a potential methane inhibitor for ruminants; however, there is still a need for studies focused on investigating its effects on the fatty acid profile and antioxidant capacity of milk, especially from dairy goats. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of CAN on nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation, and milk quality of lactating Saanen goats. Treatments consisted of a control diet (without CAN), 10 g of CAN per kg of dry matter, and 20 g of CAN per kg of dry matter. Supplemental CAN did not affect feed intake, digestibility of nutrients, and most ruminal fermentation parameters. Yields and composition of milk were not affected, and minor treatment effects were observed on the milk fatty acid profile. Milk antioxidant capacity was altered by increased conjugated dienes and reduced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, along with greater concentrations of nitrate and nitrite residues in milk. Calcium-ammonium nitrate can be fed to lactating dairy goats up to 20 g per kg of dry matter without negative effects on nutrient digestibility and milk composition; however, it increased the concentration of conjugated dienes in milk, which may induce its faster lipid oxidation. ABSTRACT: We aimed to investigate the effects of calcium-ammonium nitrate (CAN) fed to lactating dairy goats on dry matter (DM) intake, digestibility of nutrients, milk properties (composition, antioxidant capacity, fatty acid profile, and nitrate residues), and ruminal fermentation parameters. Twelve lactating Saanen goats averaging 98.5 ± 13.1 days in milk, 53.5 ± 3.3 kg of body weight, and 2.53 ± 0.34 kg of milk/day were randomly assigned in four 3 × 3 Latin squares to receive the following diets: a control group (without CAN) with 7.3 g/kg DM of urea (URE), 10 g/kg DM of CAN (CAN10), and 20 g/kg DM of CAN (CAN20). Each period lasted 21 days, with 14 days for diet adaptation and seven days for data and sample collection. The DM intake, digestibility of nutrients, yields of milk, 3.5% fat-corrected milk, and energy-corrected milk were not affected by treatments. Similarly, there were no treatment effects on the yields and concentrations of milk fat, true protein, and lactose, along with minor effects on milk fatty acid profile. Total antioxidant capacity in milk was unaffected by treatments; however, concentration of conjugated dienes increased, while thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in milk decreased linearly. Nitrate and nitrite residues in milk were elevated by treatments, while the total of volatile fatty acids and ammonia-N concentration in the rumen were unaffected. Collectively, feeding CAN (up to 20 g/kg of DM) to lactating dairy goats did not affect feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition; however, it may increase milk lipid oxidation, as evidenced by increased conjugated diene concentration.