-After a brief survey of metabolic pathways and nutrient fluxes involved in mammary lipogenesis, this review summarises the known effects of diet on ruminant milk fat composition. Special attention is given to fatty acids that could play a positive role for human health, such as butyric acid, oleic acid, C18 to C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The efficiency of the transfer of C18:2, C18:3, C20:5, C22:5 and C22:6, from the duodenum to the milk, is reviewed. The main dietary factors taken into account are the nature of forages, including pasture, and the supplementation of dairy rations with protected or unprotected vegetable or fish oils. Dose-response curves of milk CLA are reviewed for different fat supplements, as well as the non-linear relationship between milk CLA and trans C18:1. The potential of dietary factors to increase the mean CLA content in cow milk fat is about 300% above basal values. There is, however, a need to evaluate how the different feeding strategies could change the other aspects of milk fat quality.
ruminant / nutrition / milk / fatty acids / human healthRĂ©sumĂ© -PlasticitĂ© de la matiĂšre grasse du lait de ruminant : contrĂŽle nutritionnel des acides gras saturĂ©s, polyinsaturĂ©s, trans et conjuguĂ©s. AprĂšs un bref rappel des voies mĂ©taboliques et des flux de nutriments qui concourrent Ă la lipogenĂšse mammaire, cette revue est consacrĂ©e aux principaux effets des facteurs alimentaires sur la composition des lipides du lait de ruminant. Un intĂ©rĂȘt particulier est portĂ© aux acides gras qui peuvent avoir des effets positifs sur la santĂ© humaine, tels que les acides butyrique, olĂ©ique, linolĂ©ique conjuguĂ© (CLA) et les acides gras polyinsaturĂ©s, de 18 Ă 22 atomes de carbone. L'efficacitĂ© du transfert des C18:2, C18:3, C20:5, C22:5 et C22:6, du duodĂ©num au lait est estimĂ©e Ă partir des donnĂ©es de la bibliographie. Les principaux facteurs alimentaires considĂ©rĂ©s sont la nature des fourrages, dont l'herbe pĂąturĂ©e, et la supplĂ©mentation des rations pour vaches laitiĂšres avec des huiles vĂ©gĂ©tales ou de poisson, protĂ©gĂ©es ou non. L'augmentation potentielle