Milk fat is not considered ideal for human health since generally about 65 to 75% of the fatty acids (FA) are saturated, mainly due to biohydrogenation in the rumen of the dairy cow. Saturated FA can be desaturated by the delta-9 desaturase enzyme (also known as SCD: stearoyl-CoA desaturase) present in the mammary gland of dairy cows.
The main objective of this PhD project is to investigate the effect of feed (nutrients) on the desaturation process in the mammary gland of dairy cows. It is hypothesised that specific nutrients or feeding strategies will stimulate the activity of SCD in the mammary gland of dairy cows, resulting in a higher excretion of unsaturated FA in the milk. |
