Influence of environmental factors and biological characteristics of cows on the fatty acid groups and nutritional index of raw milk

Abstract

Cow's milk contains a large number of fatty acids, some of which may be of potential benefit to human health. The aim of this research is to determine the most important biological and ecological factors that influence the fatty acid composition and nutritional indices of raw milk originating from cows in intensive farm production. Comparing to reference cows, next animals had significantly higher odds of having greater SFA concentrations and lower odds of being in the categories with higher MUFA, PUFA and UFA and concentrations in milk: cows in 2nd and 3rd lactation compared to 1st, cows in mid and late lactation compared to early, cows in heat stress compared to cows in thermoneutral period. Comparing to reference cows, cows with higher BHB had significantly lower odds of having greater SFA concentrations and higher odds of being in the categories with higher MUFA. Also, cows with higher NEFA had significantly lower odds of having greater SFA concentrations and higher odds of being in the categories with higher PUFA. In experimental group compared to reference we found lower odds of having greater nutrition index of milk. Odds to have higher nutrition index increase in cows with intense ketogenesis and lipolysis. In conclusion, older cows, cows in an advanced stage of lactation and cows in heat stress have higher values of SFA, while cows with higher lipolysis and ketogenesis have higher contents of MUFA, PUFA and UFA, which leads to a change in the nutritional indices of raw milk.