Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T16:08:08.233Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nutritional factors affecting the fatty acid composition of bovine milk

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

R. J. Mansbridge  and
J. S. Blake
R. J. Mansbridge
Affiliation:
ADAS Bridgets Dairy Research Centre, Martyr Worthy, Winchester SO21 1AP
J. S. Blake
Affiliation:
ADAS Bridgets Dairy Research Centre, Martyr Worthy, Winchester SO21 1AP
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The predominant fatty acids in milk are the long-chain fatty acids myristic, palmitic and stearic. These saturated fatty acids account for 75 % of the total fatty acids, with a further 21 % occurring as monounsaturated fatty acids of which the most prevalent is oleic acid. Only 4 g/lOO g of the milk fatty acids are polyunsaturated, occurring mainly as linoleic and linolenic acids. All milk fatty acids are derived, almost equally, from either de novo synthesis or directly from preformed fatty acids in the diet. There are four main dietary sources of fatty acids: forages, oilseeds, fish oil and fat supplements. The digestive tract exerts a profound influence on the fate of dietary fatty acids. The short-chain saturated free fatty acids are absorbed through the walls of the rumen or abomasum into the bloodstream. The medium- and longer-chain saturated fatty acids pass into the small intestine, diffuse across the membrane wall where they are incorporated into lipoproteins and enter the bloodstream via the lymphatic system. The majority of unsaturated fatty acids are extensively hydrogenated in the rumen. However, recent work has shown that the levels of certain saturated fatty acids can be reduced and the levels of oleic, linoleic and linolenic fatty acids increased by feeding oilseeds rich in mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids. In addition, work reported here has confirmed that eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids can be transferred to milk when a diet containing fish oil is fed, but the transfer efficiencies are low

Keywords

Fatty acidsMilk
Type
Nutrition and Fatty Acid Composition of Milk
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 78 , Issue 1 , July 1997 , pp. S37 - S47
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1997

References

REFERENCES

Ali, T., Kurihara, M. & Ishida, S. (1991). Increase in alpha-linolenic acid in milk fat by feeding the calcium soap of fatty acids prepared from linseed oil. Animal Feed Science and Technology 62, 58–62.Google Scholar
Ashes, J. R., St Vincent Welch, P., Gulati, S. K., Scott, T. W., Brown, G. H. & Blakeley, S. (1992). Manipulation of the fatty acid composition of milk by feeding protected canola seed. Journal of Dairy Science 75, 1090–1096.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ashes, J. R., Siebert, B. D., Gulati, S. K., Cuthbertson, A. Z. & Scott, T. W. (1992). Incorporation of n–3 fatty acids of fish oil in tissue and serum lipids of ruminants. Lipids 27, 629–631.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bickerstaffe, R. & Annison, E. F. (1968). The desaturation of stearic acid by mammary-gland tissue of the lactating goat and sow. Biochemical Journal 107, 27p.Google Scholar
British Nutrition Foundation (1992). Unsaturated Fatty Acids. Report of the British Nutrition Foundation's Task Force. London: Chapman and Hall.Google Scholar
Brumby, P. E., Storry, J. E. & Sutton, J. D. (1972). Metabolism of cod-liver oil in relation to milk fat secretion. Journal of Dairy Science 39, 167–182.Google ScholarPubMed
Chouinard, P. Y., Girard, V. & Brisson, G. J. (1992). Fatty acid composition of cow's milk as influenced by feeding soybeans extruded at different temperatures. Journal of Dairy Science 75, Suppl. 1, 277.Google Scholar
Christie, W. W. (1981). Lipid Metabolism in Ruminant Animals. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Department of Health (1994). Nutritional Aspects of Cardiovascular Disease. Report on Health and Social Subjects no. 46. London: H. M. Stationery Office.Google Scholar
Dhiman, T. R., van Zanten, K. & Satter, L. D. (1991). Source of dietary fat and its effect on milk fatty acid composition. Journal of Dairy Science 74, Suppl. 1, 249.Google Scholar
Dryden, F. D., Marchello, J. A., Adams, G. H. & Hale, W. H. J. (1971). Bovine serum lipids. II. Lipoprotein quantitative and qualitative composition as influenced by added animal fat diets. Journal of Animal Science 32, 1016–1029.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Duncan, W. R. & Garton, G. A. (1963). Plasma lipids of the cow during pregnancy and lactation. Biochemical Journal 89, 414–419.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Emanuelson, M., Ahlin, K. & Wiktorsson, H. (1992). Long-term feeding of rapeseed meal and full-fat rapeseed of double low cultivars to dairy cattle. Livestock Production Science 33, 199–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grummer, R. R. (1991). Effect of feed on the composition of milk fat. Journal of Dairy Science 74, 3244–3257.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hagmeister, H., Precht, D. & Barth, C. A. (1988). Studies on transfer of omega-3 fatty acids into bovine milk fat. Milchwissenschaft 43, 153–158.Google Scholar
Hebeisen, D. F., Hoeflin, F., Reusch, H. P., Junker, E. & Lauterburg, B. H. (1993). Increased concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in milk and platelet rich plasma of grass-fed cows. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 63, 229–233.Google ScholarPubMed
Hermansen, J. E. (1995). Prediction of milk fatty acid profile in dairy cows fed various fats in relation to human nutrition and health. In Lipids in Animal Nutrition, Seminar of Lipid Forum, Danish Institute of Animal Science, Foulum, October 2526, 1995, p. 3. Tjiele: Scandinavian Forum for Lipid Research and Technology.Google Scholar
Hermansen, J. E., Jonsbo, F., Anderson, J. O., Michaelsen, K. F. & Weisbjerg, M. R. (1995). On the transfer of gamma-linolenic acid into milk fat and its possible elongation to arachidonic acid by cows. Milchwissenschaft 50, 3–6.Google Scholar
Jahreis, G. & Richter, G. H. (1994). The effect of feeding rapeseed on the fatty acid composition of milk lipids and on the concentration of metabolites and hormones in the serum of dairy cows. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 72, 71–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khorasani, E., Okine, E. & Kennelly, J. J. (1992). Influence of whole flaxseed on performance of mid-lactation dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 75, Suppl. 1, 171.Google Scholar
Kowalczyk, J., Ørskov, E. R., Robinson, J. J. & Stewart, C. S. (1977). Effect of fat supplementation on voluntary food intake and rumen metabolism in sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 37, 251–257.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mansbridge, R. J. & Blake, J. S. (1995). The effect of feeding different sources and levels of oil on the fatty acid composition of bovine milk. In Lipids in Animal Nutrition, Seminar of Lipid Forum, Danish Institute of Animal Science, Foulum, October 2526, 1995, p. 20. Tjiele: Scandinavian Forum for Lipid Research and Technology.Google Scholar
Martin, P. A. & Thomas, P. C. (1988). Dietary manipulation of the yield and composition of milk: effects of dietary inclusions of barley and oats in untreated or formaldehyde-treated forms on milk fatty acid composition. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 43, 145–154.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milk Marketing Board (1994). Dairy Facts and Figures. Thames Ditton: The Federation of United Kingdom Milk Marketing Boards.Google Scholar
Morrison, W. R. (1977). Cereal lipids. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 36, 143–148.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mpelimpasakes, N. G. (1981). Effect of various rations on fatty acid composition of bovine milk fat. Ellenike Kteniatrike 24, 81–93.Google Scholar
Murphy, J. J., Connolly, J. F. & McNeil, G. P. (1995 a). Effects on milk fat composition and cow performance of feeding concentrates containing full fat rapeseed and maize distillers grains on grass-silage based diets. Livestock Production Science 44, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murphy, J. J., Connolly, J. F. & McNeil, G. P. (1995 b). Effects on cow performance and milk fat composition of feeding full fat soyabeans and rapeseeds to dairy cows at pasture. Livestock Production Science 44, 13–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Murphy, J. J., McNeil, G. P., Connolly, J. F. & Gleeson, P. A. (1990). Effect on cow performance and milk fat composition of including full fat soyabeans and rapeseeds in the concentrate mixture for lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Research 57, 295–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palmquist, D. L. & Mattos, W. (1978). Turnover of lipoproteins and transfer to milk fat of dietary (1-carbon-14) linoleic acid in lactating cows. Journal of Dairy Science 61, 561–565.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Socha, M. T., Satter, L. D. & Brotz, P. B. (1991). Effect of heat-processed whole soybeans on the fatty acid profile of milk. Journal of Dairy Science 74, Suppl. 1, 259.Google Scholar
Steele, W., Noble, R. C. & Moore, J. H. (1971). The effects of 2 methods of incorporating soybean oil into the diet on milk yield and composition in the cow. Journal of Dairy Research 38, 49–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stegman, G. A., Casper, D. P., Schingoethe, D. J. & Baer, R. J. (1992). Lactational responses of dairy cows fed unsaturated dietary fat and receiving bovine somatotrophin. Journal of Dairy Science 75, 1936–1945.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Storry, J. E. (1981). The effect of dietary fat on milk composition. In Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition, pp. 3–33 [Haresign, W., editor]. London: Butterworths.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Storry, J. E., Brumby, P. E., Hall, A. J. & Tuckley, B. (1974). Effects of free and protected forms of cod liver oil on milk fat secretion in the dairy cow. Journal of Dairy Science 57, 1046–1049.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Storry, J. E., Hall, A. J., Tuckley, B. & Millard, D. (1969). The effects of intravenous infusions of cod-liver and soya-bean oils on the secretion of milk fat in the cow. British Journal of Nutrition 23, 173–180.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ward, P. F. V., Scott, T. W. & Dawson, R. M. C. (1964). The hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids in the bovine digestive tract. Biochemical Journal 92, 60–68.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wonsil, B. J., Herbein, J. H. & Watkins, B. A. (1994). Dietary and ruminally derived trans–18: 1 fatty acids alter bovine milk lipids. Journal of Nutrition 124, 556–565.Google ScholarPubMed