Dietary factors affecting milk fat synthesis and composition in dairy cows

Ahmet Akdağ

doi:10.24925/turjaf.v14i9.2718-2724.9347

Authors

Ahmet Akdağ Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, 26000, Eskişehir, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0154-7839

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i9.2718-2724.9347

Keywords:

Dairy nutrition, Diet, Fatty acids, Lipid supplementation, Milk fat

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a trend towards increasing and/or maintaining the milk fat content in dairy production. The main reasons for this include the fact that milk pricing is based on milk fat content, the increased demand for dairy products such as cheese and butter, and the obligation to maintain milk fat at certain levels to ensure profitability in dairy farming. Milk fat is the most variable component of milk and can be influenced by numerous nutritional and non-nutritional factors. The nutritional factors affecting milk fat content can be listed primarily as the forage to concentrate ratio, the balance between dietary starch and fiber, the level and type of lipid supplementation, the type of dietary forage, access to pasture, ruminal biohydrogenation, and dietary amino acid composition. Non-nutritional factors affecting milk fat composition include genetics, lactation stage, parity, season, health, stress, breed and management. The aim of this review is to identify the nutritional factors affecting milk fat in dairy cattle, to explain and discuss current/novel nutritional strategies, to clarify the effects of certain dietary manipulations on milk fat in the light of literature, and to facilitate an understanding of the mechanisms of milk fat production.

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