Liver Lipids of Lactating Bovine: Fatty Acid Composition

Abstract

The quantity and composition of the hepatic lipids of two groups of lactating cows, maintained on low-protein, low-energy, and high-protein diets were compared in the initial and sixth week of lactation. The lipid of livers from animals on the inferior diet was almost twice that of animals on the high-protein diet in the first week of lactation. However, within six weeks the lipids of livers from both groups of cows were comparable. The fatty acid analyses revealed that the lipids from cows on the low-protein, low-energy diets contained higher quantities of saturated and short-chain fatty acids than from cows maintained on the high-protein corn diet.