Studies on lipid digestion in the preruminant calf

Abstract

1. The lipolysis of cow's milk fat by salivary lipase (EC3.1.1.3) in the preruminant calf has been studied in vitro by a simulated abomasal digestion, and also in vivo by examining the abomasal effluent collected over 12 h after giving whole milk to a calf.2. In the in vitro experiment the liquid drained from the clot contained a higher proportion of short-chain fatty acids than the abomasal effluent in the in vivo experiment. This was considered to indicate the absorption of short-chain free fatty acids from within the abomasum.3. Preferential release of short-chain fatty acids both in vitro and in vivo was observed.4. The outflow of butyric acid from the abomasum of the calf was initially rapid, but had levelled off at approximately 6 h, whereas the outflow of a typical long-chain fatty acid (palmitic) was fairly constant over the 12 h.Butyric acid predominated in the free fatty acids of abomasal effluent 0.5 h after feeding (668 mmol/mol total free fatty acids) but had become a minor component by 12 h (15 mmol/mol total free fatty acids).5. The mean amounts of free and esterified fatty acids (mmol/mol fatty acid ingested) present in the abomasal effluent from the 12 h collection period were: triglyceride 465, diglyceride 215, monoglyceride 68, free fatty acid 252. These values showed that only one-third of esterified fatty acids ingested are lipolysed to absorbable products by salivary lipase.