76 Present address: 1,2,5 Assistant Research Scientist (dr.ajayraval@gmail.com, lmsorathiya@yahoo.co.in, naulrs @gmail.com), 3 Research Scientist (kharadi_2006 @yahoo.co.in), 4 Associate Research Scientist (mdpatel@nau.in), Livestock Research Station. 6,7 Assistant Professor (vrpatel@nau.in, mahipalvet@gmail.com), Department of Animal Nutrition. Energy is the major limiting nutrient that affects the production potential of lactating animals and the animals are not able to get sufficient energy from their diets resulting in a lower productive performance (Ranjhan et al. 2012). Maximizing energy intake by increasing the energy density of the diet is a logical feeding strategy for early lactating buffaloes. Excessive grain feeding increases energy density of the diet, but rapid fermentation can lead to a suboptimal rumen environment and decline in the concentration of milk fat. Fat supplementation also increases density of energy of the diet but high dietary fat can lead to a reduction in fibre digestion in the rumen and a decline in milk fat percentage depending on the amount and type of fat fed (Purushothaman et al. 2008). In order to counter these undesirable effects, dietary supplementation of fat as a salt of long chain fatty acids is a good alternative (Naik et al. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 87 (9): 1124–1129, September 2017/Article Effects of calcium salt of palm fatty acid supplementation on production performance, nutrient utilization and blood metabolites in Surti buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) A P RAVAL 1 , L M SORATHIYA 2 , V B KHARADI 3 , M D PATEL 4 , K K TYAGI 5 , V R PATEL 6 and M CHOUBEY 7 Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat 396 450 India Received: 21 February 2017; Accepted: 27 March 2017 ABSTRACT Objective of the study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of rumen protected fat on productive performance, nutrient utilization and blood biochemical profile of Surti buffaloes. Eighteen multiparous buffaloes (2–4 lactation) in early lactation were divided in three homogenous groups of CON (control), BF 100 and BF 200 with six animals in each group. The animals in CON were fed with a basal diet consisting of concentrate mixture, green sorghum and paddy straw as per ICAR nutrient requirements, while the animals in BF 100 and BF 200 group were fed with same ration and supplemented with 0.75% (100 g/d) and 1.5% (200 g/d) bypass fat on DMI basis, respectively for 15 days pre-partum to 90 days post-partum. The dry matter intake, body condition score, milk yield and milk composition parameters like protein, lactose and SNF were not influenced by supplemental bypass fat. Milk fat percentage, production of 4% fat corrected milk (FCM), solid corrected milk (SCM) and energy corrected milk (ECM) increased quadratically with the increasing level of rumen protected fat in the diet. Feed efficiency (FCM/ DMI) and energetic efficiency of milk production improved in a quadratic manner. Nutrient intake of DCP, TDN and digestibility of DM, CP, CF and NFE except EE remained statistically non-significant. The serum triglycerides, cholesterol and calcium level were higher in bypass fat-supplemented group. However, serum total protein and glucose level remained statistically at par. Thus, bypass fat supplementation at 0.75% of the DM intake (100 g/d) increased the milk fat percentage, FCM production and feed efficiency along with serum triglycerides and cholesterol level in lactating Surti buffaloes. Key words: Blood-biochemicals, Bypass fat, Digestibility, Surti Buffaloes 2009 and Ranjhan et al. 2012). Calcium salts of long chain fatty acids (Ca-LCFA) are relatively less degradable in rumen, high intestinal digestibility and serves as an additional source of calcium. The positive effect of feeding Ca salt of fatty acid was more evident at the early lactation and maximum response was observed with the addition of 2 to 3% (150 to 300 g/d) of bypass fat (Singh et al. 2015). Research reports on feeding of bypass fat especially on blood biochemical profile of buffaloes are sparse. Therefore, an attempt was made to assess the effect of dietary supplementation of rumen protected fat on production performance, nutrient utilization and blood biochemical profile of Surti buffaloes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Location of the study: The present experiment was conducted at Livestock Research Station, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat. The experiment was conducted during October 2015 to January 2016. Experimental animals and rations: Lactating Surti buffaloes (18) in early lactations (2 to 4 lactations) with an average daily milk yield 4.32±0.20 kg and live body weight https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v87i9.74325