The Effect of Feeding Menhaden (Fish) Oil on the Secretion of Milk and the Composition of Butter Fat in the Dairy Cow

Abstract

Summary 1.The feeding of menhaden oil to a dairy cow lowered milk production, the percentage of butter fat, and total butter fat. After resumption of control diet recovery to normal took place slowly. There was a tendency toward drying off the animal. 2.The characteristic highly unsaturated acids of the menhaden oil passed into the butter fat in small amounts. 3.The analytical constants of the butter changed to those of a mixture of butter with menhaden oil. 4.Several specimens of normal butter have been shown to contain small quantities (0.3 per cent) of a highly unsaturated fatty acid similar to arachidonic acid.