The Effect of Oil-Feeding and Starvation on the Composition and Output of Lipid in Thoracic Duct Lymph in the Lactating Cow

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Abstract
A single dose of up to 480 g of safflower oil was administered, on 2 occasions, to each of 2 lac tat ing cows. The changes in the absorption of lipid from the small intestine were studied by determining the changes in the output of lipid in thoracic duct lymph. There was a significant increase (P < 0.01) in the output of total lipid, triglyceride, and free fatty acid in the lymph, between the 6th and 7th hr after oil-feeding. The output of total lipid began to decline at 17 hr after oil-feeding but did not appear to return to the level observed before oil-feeding until 2-3 days later. Although the average rate of entry of chylomicron triglyceride into the blood vascular compartment increased from approximately 15 g/hr before, to 30 g/hr after oil-feeding, there were only slight changes in the concentration of triglyceride in blood plasma. It was concluded that the rate of turnover of the plasma pool of chylo-microns was extremely rapid. Two starvation experiments were carried out on one of the cows. In each experiment, the cow was starved for 24 hr and the changes in the output of lipid in thoracic duct lymph studied. The concentration of triglyceride decreased to its lowest level at 15 hr. and rapidly increased over the last 6 hr. of starvation. On the other hand, there was a steady decrease in lymph flow during the 24-hr period of starvation. The flow and concentration oflipid in the lymph returned to prestarvation levels within 24 hr of re-feeding.

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