The effect of olive cake on milk yield and composition and antioxidant status of Turkmen dromedary camels

The effect of using different levels of olive cake on production, milk composition and antioxidant atatus of dromedary camels, an experiment using 9 Turkmen dromedary camels with milk production of 5 ± 0.7 kg/day and average weight of 500 ± 30 kg a 3 three-week periods (14 days of adaptation and 7 days of sampling) was investigated in the form of a change over design with 3 treatments and 9 replications. The experimental treatments were included: 1- control group, 2- treatment containing 15 percent olive cake and 3- treatment containing 30 percent olive cake. Feed intake and milk production were not affected by experimental treatments. Milk fat percent a nd yield and milk protein percent (2.5, 0.11 kg and 2.66, respectively) decreased due to use of olive cake in the diet (P<0.05). There was no difference in the concentration of most of fatty acids and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the milk of camels fed experimental diets, but concentration of palmitic acid in camels that consumed 30 percent olive cake was lower than control group (P<0.05). According to the results of this research, the use of olive cake (in the level of 30 percent of ration DM) in camel feeding, may have positive effects on increasing the nutritional value of dairy products especially in arid and semi-arid areas.