The component fatty acids of bovine mammary‐gland fat

Abstract

The component acids present in the fat of the secretory tissue of the udders of a lactating and a non-lactating cow were determined. The fat of the lactating gland contained about half as much of the lower saturated acids (butyric-capric) as a typical milk-fat, with a compensating increase in the proportions of stearic and palmitic acid ; all the minor unsaturated acids of milk fat were detected. Although the fat of the non-lactating gland contained small amounts of the minor saturated and unsaturated acids characteristic of milk fat, it differed from lactating-gland fat and also from bovine depot-fat in the relative amounts of the major component acids; palmitic acid comprised more than 40% of the total acids of this fat.