Impact of chili on selected milk constituents from dairy cows fed chili and impact of chili on calcium parameters in rats fed chili in diets with calcium derived from milk

This research involved two projects related to chile. The objective of the first project was to ascertain the effect of feeding chile waste on food intake, milk production and nutrition related milk components in the milk of dairy cows consuming such waste along with a typical dairy ration. The objective of the second project was to ascertain the effects of feeding chile in a dose response format in combination with a low calcium diet on selected calcium related parameters.;In Project 2, male Harlan Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups (Day Zero and Groups A-D). Day zero animals were sacrificed to obtain baseline data related to femur calcium (Ca) and calcium related blood parameters. The other groups were fed isonitrogenous diets containing 250 mg Ca/100 g diet and 0, 1, 3 or 5% dried jalapeno pepper (DJP) for six weeks. Diet and distilled deionized water were available on an ad libitum basis. During the sixth week of the experiment, feces and urine were collected for calcium analysis. Blood drawn on the last day of the study was analyzed for calcium related parameters. Femurs were analyzed for calcium content. Results indicated that diet intake and calcium intake were not affected by the dietary treatment. The same was true of body weight gain and diet/gain ratio. Losses of calcium via the urinary route were not affected by the dietary treatment. In contrast, both fecal excretion and fecal calcium excretion were affected by the dietary treatment (p = 0.0001 and 0.0010, respectively). An orthogonal contrast indicated that fecal calcium excretion increased linearly (p = 0.0010) as the level of DJP in the diet increased. Absolute calcium balance was not affected by dietary treatment but relative calcium balance, which is related back to the calcium intake, was significantly (p = 0.0001) impacted by the dietary treatment; an orthogonal contrast indicated that there was a significant inverse linear trend between relative calcium balance and the level of chile with balance declining as the level of chile increased. Of the two calcium related blood parameters (osteocalcin and 25 (OH) D3) assessed, only 25 (OH) D3 was significantly (p = 0.0191) affected by the level of DJP in the diet; the orthogonal contrast indicated that there was a significant (p = 0.0094) quadratic trend with 25 (OH) D3 increasing in the blood of animals consuming 1% DJP and then declining as the level of DJP increased. Femur calcium was unaffected by the level of DJP in the diet. (Abstract shortened by UMI.);In Project 1, four Holstein dairy cows were divided into two groups. One group was fed a regular ration containing mainly alfalfa and the other group was fed the same ration supplemented with 20% chile waste (skins, seeds and veins) obtained from a local processing plant. Results indicated that intake of animals eating the diet with chile waste was higher than that of animals eating the typical dairy ration. Vitamin C content of the milk was less than expected and did not seem to be related to the diet eaten. Vitamin A content of the milks were different but findings were in direct contrast to what was expected (e.g., animals eating chile which is high in vitamin A precursor having higher vitamin A in the milk produced).