Fatty acids content in milk of cows under the influence of β-carotene

For the enrichment of milk with vitamin A and β-carotene, vitaton is used, which contains up to 10% of trans-β-carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A, and demonstrate antioxidant, immunostimulating and anticarcinogenic effects in the body. Previous studies have demonstrated that in sanitary terms, the biomass of the fungus Bl. trispora is safe for animals and can be used in animal husbandry to prevent diseases of the mammary gland, and digestive organs, increase reproductive function and obtain healthy viable offspring. The research was conducted on cows of the Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed in the conditions of LLC “Kuibysheve”, Poltava region. The purpose of the research was to determine the content of fatty acids in milk fat of lactating cows, as with the introduction of vitatons, lipids, higher saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins E and B, which to some extent can affect the processes of synthesis of milk components in the mammary gland. Determination of lipid content and their fractions in milk fat was performed on a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer Agilent Technologies. Established that the introduction of vitaton in the diet for cows increases the fat content in milk by an average of 0.26% and enhances the synthesis of phospholipids in the mammary gland by 1.8 times. The ratio of unsaturated to saturated free fatty acids in the milk fat of cows of the experimental group did not vary from the control, which indicates a positive effect of β-carotene on the intensity of milk fat biosynthesis in the secretory epithelium of the mammary gland of cows. Vitaton stimulated the establishment and inclusion of two unsaturated fatty acids, namely nonadecanoic and α-linolenic acids in the composition of milk fat against the background of the disappearance of the arachidonic acid peak on the chromatogram. It is established that the samples of milk fat from cows of the control group contained arachidonic acid, which was absent in the milk of cows of the experimental group, which is probably due to the inclusion of these higher fatty acids and their isomers, which are part of vitaton, in the composition of milk fat, and the effect of β-carotene on the synthesis of milk lipids. The results of the research are essential for the production of biologically complete milk and its products, which will have antioxidant properties and will be enriched with vitamin A and β-carotene