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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #412445
Research Project: Increasing Accuracy of Genomic Prediction, Developing Algorithms, Selecting Markers, and Evaluating New Traits to Improve Dairy Cattle

Location: Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory

Title: Association of individual cow milk fatty acids and milk performance

Author
item CAPUTO, MALIA - Council On Dairy Cattle Breeding
item Miles, Asha
item MATTISON, JAY - Collaborator
item WU, XIAO-LIN - Council On Dairy Cattle Breeding
item Baldwin, Ransom - Randy
item BURCHARD, JAVIER - Council On Dairy Cattle Breeding
item DURR, JOAO - Council On Dairy Cattle Breeding

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2024
Publication Date: 6/16/2024
Citation: Caputo, M.J., Miles, A.M., Mattison, J., Wu, X., Baldwin, R.L., Burchard, J., Durr, J. 2024. Association of individual cow milk fatty acids and milk performance [abstract]. Journal of Dairy Science. 107(Suppl. 1):428(abstr. 2706).

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Milk fatty acid (FA) groups, de novo (DN), mixed (MX), and performed (PF), indicate the origin of milk FA synthesis, which can be the mammary gland, body tissue reserves, or diet. Understanding the associations of milk FA groups with milk performance at the individual cow level may provide insight into making management and dietary decisions. Milk samples (n = 13,463) were collected at the morning milking from 1,735 Holstein cows from a herd milking 3x daily and averaging 90 lbs milk/cow. Milk samples were analyzed for FA groups (g/100g fat), fat, true protein, and lactose. Time periods of the first test (FT; 30 ± 3 DIM), peak milk (PT; 71 ± 34 DIM), and mid-lactation (MT; 100 ± 3 DIM) were selected. Linear models were fit with the FA group, parity (1 vs >=2), their interaction, and DIM treated as fixed effects and the month of sampling as the random effects. The results show that, across all periods, DN and MX were negatively associated with test day milk yield and cumulative milk yield through 150 DIM. In contrast, PF was positively associated with test day milk yield and cumulative milk yield through 150 DIM (P < 0.01). The relationship between FA and component yields differed among the periods. Energy-corrected milk yield was negatively associated with DN at FT (P = 0.02), not associated with DN at PT (P = 0.39), and positively associated with DN at MT (P = 0.03). The fat yield was negatively associated with DN at FT but was positively associated with fat yield at MT (P < 0.01). At PT, there was an interaction of parity and DN on fat yield, where multiparous cows had a negative association, and primiparous had a positive association (P < 0.01). Protein yield was positively associated with DN for multiparous cows and negatively associated with DN for primiparous cows at FT (P < 0.01). Fatty acid groups had no relationship with protein yield at PT or MT (P >= 0.15). The association of milk FA with milk and component yields suggests that milk FA may be a useful management tool. However, the variable associations between FA groups and milk performance outcomes at different lactation stages and parities highlights the need for tailored management decisions based on milk testing.