HI-FLAX, Counteracting Biohydrogenation

Biohydrogenation is a ruminal process whereby unsaturated fatty acids are progressively being saturated. As a consequence, unsaturated fatty acids disappear from the ruminal environment. On the other hand, the proportion of more saturated fatty acids goes up. Doreau&Ferlay, 1994, indicated that 70 to 95% of the linoleic acid will disappear, or in other words, will be saturated or partially saturated generating new fatty acids. Regarding alpha-linolenic acid (omega3) the biohydrogenation rate goes up to 85 to 100%.

Most of the studies carried out to know biohydrogenation are performed under in vitro conditions. However, a recent technical note at Journal of Dairy Sciences, shows the greater rates of biohydrogenation under in vivo conditions: “Technical Note: An in vivo method to determine kinetics of unsaturated fatty acid biohydrogenation in the rumen” by Baldin et al., 2018.

Hence, biohydrogenation limits intensively the possible positive effect of some unsaturated fatty acids. As a good example, trials with high proportion of omega3, where it is used fish oil, they do not accomplish so high levels of omega3 on milk or meat. Not even at duodenal level.

Additionally, the biohydrogenation process generates conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compounds. Some of those CLA provokes a milk fat depression on lactating animals. Therefore, we find a double negative effect, the target fatty acid disappears, and milk fat goes down.

During last years Norel has been extensively working against biohydrogenation to develop rumen inert omega3. These works have been materialized onto the product: Hi-Flax. This product has proudly achieved to increase the omega3 transfer from the diet to the milk from 8.18% with extruded linseed up to 13.48% (Escribano et al., 2016).