Fatty Acid Composition of Bovine Milk Fat as Influenced by Intravenous Infusion of Propionate or Glucose

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Abstract
The intravenous infusion of propionate in 6 Jersey cows resulted in decreased synthesis of all major milk fatty acids measured except 16:0, whereas infusion of glucose increased the secretion of 10:0 and 12:0, decreased that of 18:0, 18:1, and 18:2, and had little effect on 14:0 and 16:0. The data suggest that propionate and glucose did not reduce milk fat secretion through the same mechanism. Comparison of changes in the fatty acid pattern with those associated with ration-induced milk fat depression indicates that the latter cannot be fully explained by the glucogenic effect of propionate.