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Synthesis of Milk Fat in the Bovine Mammary Gland¹

Department of Animal Husbandry, University of California, Davis

ABSTRACT

Milk fat synthesis was studied in normal lactating dairy cows following the intra-mammary infusion of C¹⁴-labeled glycerol, glucose, acetate, propionate, and butyrate. The metabolite under investigation was infused into one quarter (or half) of the udder and a comparison was made of the C¹⁴ content of milk fat glycerol obtained from the infused and uninfused quarters. Our results indicate that glycerol is synthesized in the mammary gland from glucose but not from acetate, propionate, or butyrate. Further, we have shown that the newly formed glycerol is incorporated into milk fat. This strongly implies that one pathway of milk fat formation involves its de novo synthesis in the mammary gland from pools of free fatty acids and glycerol.

¹ This research was supported by a grant from the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission.