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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
Feeding high starch, low fibre diets to ruminants has been shown to decrease milk fat content (Choi et al. 2005). This effect may be due to the production of trans-10, cis-12 CLA in the rumen, which is a known inhibitor of milk fat synthesis in ruminants. Forage particle length may also have an influence on milk fat synthesis by altering ruminal pH (Beauchemin et al., 2003) and subsequently the production of trans-10, cis-12 CLA. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the effects of starch content and forage particle length on the performance and production of trans-10, cis-12 CLA in dairy ewes.