Milk fat globule size is affected by fat production in dairy cows

Abstract

The relationship between the size distribution of milk fat globule (MFG) and milk fat composition was examined for 52 Holstein cows. A correlation (R-2 = 0.54) was found between average diameter of the MFG and the diurnal fat yield of cows. The changes in size distribution of MFGs showed transition of medium size globules into large globules with increased fat synthesis. The activity of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was found to decline with increasing average MFG size. Analysis of fatty acid composition demonstrated that the content of stearic, palmitic, palmitoleic and oleic acid correlated positively with the average diameter of the MFG. These results indicate that the MFGs grow larger when the fat synthesis increases, probably because of a limitation in production of MFG membrane. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Published in

International Dairy Journal
2004, volume: 14, number: 10, pages: 909-913
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU Authors

• Björck, Lennart

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Food Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2004.03.005

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/3665