The role of Delta(9)-desaturase in the production of cis-9, trans-11 CLA

Comparison of meat quality between eland (Taurotragus oryx) and cattle (Bos taurus) raised under similar conditions

Physical, chemical and sensory characteristics of meat were compared between non-domestic eland (Taurotragus oryx) bulls (n=6) and domestic Fleckvieh (Bos taurus) bulls (n=6) which were finished under controlled conditions of feeding and management. Musculus longissimus lumborum from eland were darker and less yellow in colour, with a higher pH24 and lower contents of intramuscular fat and total collagen, compared to cattle. Contents (mg/100 g muscle tissue) and proportions (g/100 g of FA determined) of SFA and MUFA were higher (P<0.01) in cattle. Although the proportion of total PUFA were higher (P<0.001) in eland, contents of PUFA were similar between species. Meat from cattle was consistently scored higher (P<0.05) for sensory texture characteristics, juiciness, flavour, and overall acceptance. We concluded that bulls of eland provided low-fat meat with a beneficial fatty acid composition from a human nutrition perspective, but with lower sensory scores, compared to bull beef.

Fatty acid profile of the milk of cows reared in the mountain region of Poland

An appropriate composition of milk fatty acids (FA) improves the nutritional value of milk and milk products, and improves milk processing. Polish dairy farms in the mountainous region are rather small, animal nutrition there is based on locally produced forages and this, together with the transitional climate zone brings about seasonal changes in FA composition of milk. The aim of the study was to evaluate the composition of FA in bovine milk fat in relation to fat intake in forages and their FA profiles. The study involved 5 herds reared in low-input mountain farms located at an altitude of 670-780 m above sea level (Beskid Mountains). The cows were fed forages produced locally. FAs in forages and milk samples were subjected to gas chromatography. Highest fat intake observed in grazing season (4·2-4·7%) and high amounts of polyunsaturated FA in forages from that period (51·8-64·1 g/100 g FA) resulted in a markedly high content of valuable FAs: t-11 C18:1 (3·22 g/100 g FA), c-9, t-11 C18:2 (CLA; 1·20 g/100 g FA) in milk. Lower fat intake of forages containing high amount of SFA (32·42-38·83 g/100 g FA) in the indoor period resulted in changes in milk composition. The content of total short-chain saturated FA (SCFA) was highest in winter and early spring samples (14·10 and 13·44 g/100 g FA, respectively), like the amounts of myristic C14:0 and palmitic C16:0 acids (11·80 and 37·92 g/100 g FA). Total odd- and branched-chain fatty acids (OBCFA; 6·58 g/100 g FA) content was highest at the beginning of the grazing period. Fresh grass consumed by cows promoted the activity of Δ(9)-desaturase in mammary gland as evidenced by higher C14:1 : C14:0 (0·054) and C16:1 : C16:0 (0·026) ratios in grazing than in the indoor periods.

Conjugated linoleic acid synthesis-related protein proteasome subunit α 5 (PSMA5) is increased by vaccenic acid treatment in goat mammary tissue

This study was conducted to identify proteins associated with the endogenous synthesis of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) from trans-vaccenic acid (TVA; trans-11 C18:1, a precursor for CLA endogenous synthesis) in mammary tissues. Six lactating goats were divided into 2 groups. One group was given an intravenous bolus injection of TVA (150mg) twice daily over 4 d; the other group received saline injections. Treatment with TVA increased the concentration of cis-9,trans-11 CLA and TVA in goat milk. Additionally, TVA treatment increased the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) in mammary tissue. Using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, 3 proteins affected by infusions of TVA were identified. Proteasome (prosome, macropain) subunit α type 5 (PSMA5) was upregulated, whereas peroxiredoxin-1 and translationally controlled tumor protein 1 were downregulated in TVA-treated animals compared with the vehicle-injected controls. Only the effect of TVA on PSMA5 could be confirmed by Western blot analysis. To further explore the regulation of PSMA5 in mammary epithelial cells when TVA is converted into CLA, we used a differentiated bovine mammary epithelial cell line treated with TVA for 6h. Changes in cis-9,trans-11 CLA concentrations and mRNA expression patterns of both SCD and PSMA5 were monitored. The concentration of cis-9,trans-11 CLA increased after TVA treatment. The mRNA expression level of PSMA5 was significantly elevated to 6h, but SCD mRNA expression only increased in 2h after TVA treatment. These results indicate that PSMA5 is highly expressed in goat mammary tissue and bovine mammary epithelial cells when TVA is converted into CLA. Our data suggest that PSMA5 protein is associated with CLA biosynthesis in mammary tissue.

Short communication: Estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations among milk fatty acid unsaturation indices in Canadian Holsteins

The objectives of the present study were to estimate genetic parameters of milk fatty acid unsaturation indices in Canadian Holsteins. Data were available on milk fatty acid composition of 2,573 Canadian Holstein cows from 46 commercial herds enrolled in the Québec Dairy Production Centre of Expertise, Valacta (Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada). Individual fatty acid percentages (g/100 g of total fatty acids) were determined for each milk sample by gas chromatography. The unsaturation indices were calculated as the ratio of an unsaturated fatty acid to the sum of that unsaturated fatty acid and its corresponding substrate fatty acid, multiplied by 100. A mixed linear model was fitted under REML for the statistical analysis of milk fatty acid unsaturation indices. The statistical model included the fixed effects of parity, age at calving, and stage of lactation, each nested within parity, and the random effects of herd-year-season of calving, animal, and residual. Estimates of heritabilities for the C14, C16, C18, conjugated linoleic acid, and total unsaturation indices were 0.48, 0.25, 0.29, 0.14, and 0.19, respectively. Phenotypic and genetic correlation estimates among unsaturation indices were all positive and ranged from 0.20 to 0.65 and 0.23 to 0.81, respectively. The estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations for milk fatty acid unsaturation indices suggest that genetic variation exists among cows in milk fatty acid unsaturation, and the proportions of desirable unsaturated fatty acids from a human health point of view may be increased in bovine milk through genetic selection.

Conversion of t11t13 CLA into c9t11 CLA in Caco-2 cells and inhibition by sterculic oil

BACKGROUND

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), and principally c9t11 CLA, are suspected to have numerous preventive properties regarding non-infectious pathologies such as inflammatory diseases, atherosclerosis and several types of cancer. C9t11 CLA is produced in the rumen during biohydrogenation of linoleic acid, but can also be synthesized in mammalian tissues from trans-vaccenic acid (C18:1 t11) through the action of delta-9 desaturase (D9D). For several years, it is also known that c9t11 CLA can be synthesized from conjugated linolenic acids (CLnA), i.e. c9t11c13 CLnA and c9t11t13 CLnA. This study aimed at investigating to which extent and by which route c9t11 CLA can be produced from another isomer of CLA, the t11t13 CLA that is structurally very similar to c9t11t13 CLnA, in Caco-2 cells.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Caco-2 cells were incubated for 24 h with 20 µmol/l of t11t13 CLA in the absence or presence of sterculic oil used as an inhibitor of D9D. Caco-2 cells were able to convert t11t13 CLA into c9t11 CLA, and c9t11t13 CLnA was formed as an intermediate compound. In the presence of sterculic oil, the production of this intermediate was decreased by 46% and the formation of c9t11 CLA was decreased by 26%. No other metabolite was detected.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

These results not only highlight the conversion of t11t13 CLA into c9t11 CLA but demonstrate also that this conversion involves first a desaturation step catalysed by D9D to produce c9t11t13 CLnA and then the action of another enzyme reducing the double bond on the Δ13 position.

Fatty acid distribution of cord and maternal blood in human pregnancy: special focus on individual trans fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids

Background

Maternal nutrition in pregnancy has a crucial impact on the development of the fetus. Dietary trans fatty acids (tFA) are known to have adverse health effects, especially during pregnancy. However, the distribution of tFA produced via partial hydrogenation of vegetable oils (mainly elaidic acid; t9) differs compared to ruminant-derived tFA (mainly vaccenic acid; t11). Recent findings indicate that they may have different impact on human health.

Therefore, in this study, plasma and erythrocytes of mother-child pairs (n = 55) were sampled to investigate the distribution of tFA, including individual trans C18:1 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) in fetal related to maternal lipids; with additional consideration of maternal dairy fat intake.

Results

Portion of t9 and t11, but also of c9,t11 CLA was higher in maternal than in fetal blood lipids. The portion of t9 in maternal and fetal lipids differed only slightly. In contrast, the portion of fetal t11 was only half of that in maternal blood. This led to a fetal t9/t11-index in plasma and erythrocytes being twice as high compared to the maternal values. A high dairy fat intake resulted in elevated portions of t11 and its Δ9-desaturation product c9,t11 CLA in maternal blood. In contrast, in the respective fetal blood lipids only c9,t11 CLA, but not t11 was increased. Nevertheless, a positive association between maternal and fetal plasma exists for both t11 and c9,t11 CLA. Furthermore, in contrast to t9, t11 was not negatively associated with n-3 LC-PUFA in fetal blood lipids.

Conclusions

Fetal blood fatty acid composition essentially depends on and is altered by the maternal fatty acid supply. However, in addition to dietary factors, other aspects also contribute to the individual fatty acid distribution (oxidation, conversion, incorporation). The lower portion of fetal t11 compared to maternal t11, possibly results from Δ9-desaturation to c9,t11 CLA and/or oxidation. Based on the fatty acid distribution, it can be concluded that t11 differs from t9 regarding its metabolism and their impact on fetal LC-PUFA.

Nutrigenomics, rumen-derived bioactive fatty acids, and the regulation of milk fat synthesis

Mammary synthesis of milk fat continues to be an active research area, with significant advances in the regulation of lipid synthesis by bioactive fatty acids (FAs). The biohydrogenation theory established that diet-induced milk fat depression (MFD) in the dairy cow is caused by an inhibition of mammary synthesis of milk fat by specific FAs produced during ruminal biohydrogenation. The first such FA shown to affect milk fat synthesis was trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid, and its effects have been well characterized, including dose-response relationships. During MFD, lipogenic capacity and transcription of key mammary lipogenic genes are coordinately down-regulated. Results provide strong evidence for sterol response element-binding protein-1 (SREBP1) and Spot 14 as biohydrogenation intermediate responsive lipogenic signaling pathway for ruminants and rodents. The study of MFD and its regulation by specific rumen-derived bioactive FAs represents a successful example of nutrigenomics in present-day animal nutrition research and offers several potential applications in animal agriculture.

Camelina sativa cake improved unsaturated fatty acids in ewe's milk

BACKGROUND

Camelina sativa cake (CSC), a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, in the case of ruminants, may improve the energy value of a diet and also increase the unsaturated fatty acid content in milk. Effects of basal diet (control), basal diet plus 30 g kg(-1) of CSC in dietary dry matter (DM), basal diet plus 60 g kg(-1) of CSC in dietary dry matter on milk production and the fatty acid composition of ewe's milk with particular emphasis on the monoenes and conjugated isomers of linoleic acid content were examined.

RESULTS

Elevated concentration of total monounsaturated fatty acids, the effect of an increase in monounsaturated fatty acids in the trans configuration, as well as the increased content of total polyunsaturated fatty acids, resulted from CSC supplementation. Total saturated fatty acid concentration was decreased.

CONCLUSION

Milk from CSC-supplemented ewes was characterized by increased levels of beneficial nutritional factors, including mono- and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and was also by lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indices. Taking into consideration all the obtained results and recommended fat concentrations in a daily ruminant ration, we recommend supplementing a dairy ewe's diet with 30 g kg(-1) DM of CSC cake in practice.

Inclusion of flaxseed in hay- and barley silage diets increases alpha-linolenic acid in cow plasma independent of forage type

Feeding flaxseed to cattle may be a means of increasing omega-3 fatty acid levels in ruminant products, but possible interactions with conserved forages have not been investigated. Twelve Holstein cows were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin Square experiment. Cows were fed one of four 50:50 forage:concentrate diets (DM basis): hay (hay control, HC), hay plus 15% ground flaxseed (hay-flaxseed, HF), barley silage (silage control, SC), and barley silage plus 15% ground flaxseed (silage-flaxseed, SF). Plasma concentrations of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) did not differ between SC and HC diets. Flaxseed increased ALA (P < 0.05), but levels were not influenced by forage type. Flaxseed slightly increased 18:2n-6 (P < 0.05) and some n-6 and n-3 elongation and desaturation products, particularly arachidonic acid (ARA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Flaxseed also increased C18:0 (P < 0.05) with this increase being greater (P < 0.01) for cows fed SF than HF. Feeding flaxseed also increased plasma C18:1-trans isomers (P < 0.01), predominantly vaccenic acid (VAA, 18:1-t11), with this increase being greater (P < 0.05) in cows fed HF than SF. Although conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was increased (P < 0.001) with flaxseed it was not influenced by forage type (P = 0.06). Overall, feeding flaxseed increased plasma ALA, EPA, ARA and CLA independently of forage type. Feeding flaxseed with silage, however, resulted in more 18:0, while feeding flaxseed with hay resulted in greater accumulations of plasma 18:1-trans isomers mainly in the form of VAA.

Dietary conjugated linoleic acid isomers change the unsaturation degree of hepatic fatty acids in neutral lipids but not in polar lipids

The fatty acid composition of phospholipids plays a key role in the structural and functional properties of cellular membrane. In this study, it was hypothesized that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomer supplementation changes the unsaturation degree of the fatty acids of neutral lipids (NLs) but not those of polar lipids (PLs). Thus, the main goal was to determine the pattern of fatty acid incorporation into hepatic PL and NL fractions. Wistar male rats were fed cis(c)9,trans(t)11 and t10,c12 CLA isomers, separately or as a mixture. Whereas the t10,c12 isomer incorporation in the PL fraction was similar when supplemented either individually or as a mixture, the c9,t11 isomer reached the highest values of incorporation when combined with t10,c12. In the PL fraction, the linoleic acid did not change; but the arachidonic acid decreased, especially in the rats given the mixture. Also in this fraction, the t10,c12 isomer, either separately or as a mixture, decreased the amounts of n-6 long-chain (LC) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and increased those of the n-3 LC PUFA relative to the control. In the NL fraction, linoleic acid incorporation followed the diet composition, whereas the arachidonic acid was similar among treatments. Facing CLA isomer supplementation, the present study suggests that fatty acid incorporation into phospholipids, through the balance between n-6 and n-3 LC PUFA, is dependent upon maintaining the unsaturation degree of cellular membrane.

Metabolism and actions of conjugated linoleic acids on atherosclerosis-related events in vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) are biologically highly active lipid compounds that have attracted great scientific interest due to their ability to cause either inhibition of atherosclerotic plaque development or even regression of pre-established atherosclerotic plaques in mice, hamsters and rabbits. The underlying mechanisms of action, however, are only poorly understood. Since cell culture experiments are appropriate to gain insight into the mechanisms of action of a compound, the present review summarizes data from cell culture studies about the metabolism and the actions of CLAs on atherosclerosis-related events in endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), which are important cells contributing to atherosclerotic lesion development. Based on these studies, it can be concluded that CLAs exert several beneficial actions including inhibition of inflammatory and vasoactive mediator release from ECs and SMCs, which may help explain the anti-atherogenic effect of CLAs observed in vivo. The observation that significant levels of CLA metabolites, which have been reported to have significant biological activities, are well detectable in ECs and SMCs indicates that the anti-atherogenic effects observed with CLAs are presumably mediated not only by CLAs themselves but also by their metabolites.

Effects of fish oil and starch added to a diet containing sunflower-seed oil on dairy goat performance, milk fatty acid composition and in vivo delta9-desaturation of [13C]vaccenic acid

The potential benefits on human health have prompted an interest in developing nutritional strategies for specifically increasing rumenic acid (RA) in ruminant milk. The aims of the present study were to (i) compare two dietary treatments with lipid supplements on milk yield and composition, (ii) measure the in vivo delta9-desaturation of vaccenic acid (VA) to RA using 13C-labelled VA and (iii) determine the effect of the dietary treatments on this variable. Treatments were 90 g sunflower-seed oil (SO) per d or 60 g sunflower-seed oil and 30 g fish oil per d plus additional starch (SFO), in a grassland hay-based diet given to eight Alpine goats in a 2 x 2 cross-over design with 21 d experimental periods. Milk yield and composition were similar between treatments. Goats fed SFO had higher milk 6 : 0-16 : 0 concentration, lower milk sigmaC18 concentrations and showed no effect on milk VA and RA, compared with SO. At the end of the experiment, intravenous injection of 1.5 g [13C]VA followed by measurements of milk lipid 13C enrichment showed that in vivo 31.7 and 31.6 % of VA was delta9-desaturated into milk RA in the caprine with the SO and SFO treatments, respectively. The expression of genes encoding for delta9-desaturase (or stearoyl-CoA desaturase; SCD1, SCD5) in mammary tissues and four milk delta9-desaturation ratios were similar between treatments. In conclusion, the present study provides the first estimates of in vivo endogenous synthesis of RA (63-73 % of milk RA) from VA in goats, and shows no difference between the two lipid supplements compared.

Effect of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on lipoprotein lipase activity in 3T3-L1 adipocyte culture

Supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid may reduce fat body mass and increase lean body mass in various species. Some studies have demonstrated that conjugated linoleic acid reduces body fat, in part, by inhibiting the activity of lipoprotein lipase in adipocytes. The objective of this work was to study the effect of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on lipoprotein lipase activity in 3T3-L1 adipocyte culture. 3T3-L1 adipocytes received linoleic acid (group C) or conjugated linoleic acid (group AE, supplemented with AdvantEdge® CLA, and group CO, supplemented with CLA One®) in concentrations of 1 mmol/L. Heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase activity was analyzed by means of a 3T3-L1 adipocyte culture. After 7 days, heparin-releasable lipoprotein lipase activity was lower in the groups AE and CO supplemented with conjugated linoleic acid. These results suggest that one of the mechanisms by which CLA is capable of reducing body fat is by reducing lipoprotein lipase activity.

Influence of conjugated linoleic acids on functional properties of vascular cells

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) are biologically highly active lipid compounds that inhibit the development of atherosclerotic plaques in experimental animals. The underlying mechanisms of action, however, are only poorly understood. Since cell-culture experiments are appropriate to provide a detailed view into the mechanisms of action of a compound, the present review summarises results fromin vitrostudies dealing with the effects of CLA isomers and CLA mixtures on functional properties of cells of the vascular wall, such as endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and monocyte-derived macrophages, which are amongst the major cells contributing to atherosclerotic lesion development. Based on these studies, it can be concluded that CLA exert several beneficial actions in cells of the vascular wall through the activation of nuclear PPAR. These actions of CLA, which may, at least partially, explain the inhibition of atherogenesis by dietary CLA, include modulation of vasoactive mediator release from endothelial cells, inhibition of inflammatory and fibrotic processes in activated smooth muscle cells, abrogation of inflammatory responses in activated macrophages, and reduction of cholesterol accumulation in macrophage-derived foam cells.

Genetic variability of the Stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene in sheep

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) plays a key role in lipid metabolism in humans and livestock. In ruminants, changes in the coding and/or regulatory sequences of the SCD gene could generate alterations in the enzymatic activity, producing variations in the fatty acid content in milk and meat. In this study, we investigated the genetic variability in 3989 bp of the ovine SCD gene. A total of 85 animals belonging to eight sheep breeds with different selection goals (dairy vs. meat) and fat metabolisms (fat-tailed vs. thin-tailed) were analysed. No polymorphisms were found within the coding region of the SCD gene (1080 bp). Analysis of the non-coding region (2909 bp) allowed the identification of four SNPs located in the promoter region (SCD01), intron 2 (SCD02 and SCD03) and intron 3 (SCD04). The most polymorphic SNP in the studied breeds was SCD01, which displayed intermediate frequencies in the highly specialised breeds, whereas it was less variable in the meat populations. Further efforts are needed to evaluate the potential use of the identified SNPs as markers for fat content and fatty acid composition of sheep products, and to assess the possible use of sheep as an animal model for human diseases related to lipid metabolism.

Genetic variability of milk fatty acids

The milk fatty acid (FA) profile is far from the optimal fat composition in regards to human health. The natural sources of variation, such as feeding or genetics, could be used to increase the concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids. The impact of feeding is well described. However, genetic effects on the milk FA composition begin to be extensively studied. This paper summarizes the available information about the genetic variability of FAs. The greatest breed differences in FA composition are observed between Holstein and Jersey milk. Milk fat of the latter breed contains higher concentrations of saturated FAs, especially short-chain FAs. The variation of the delta-9 desaturase activity estimated from specific FA ratios could explain partly these breed differences. The choice of a specific breed seems to be a possibility to improve the nutritional quality of milk fat. Generally, the proportions of FAs in milk are more heritable than the proportions of these same FAs in fat. Heritability estimates range from 0.00 to 0.54. The presence of some single nucleotide polymorphisms could explain partly the observed individual genetic variability. The polymorphisms detected on SCD1 and DGAT1 genes influence the milk FA composition. The SCD1 V allele increases the unsaturation of C16 and C18. The DGAT1 A allele is related to the unsaturation of C18. So, a combination of the molecular and quantitative approaches should be used to develop tools helping farmers in the selection of their animals to improve the nutritional quality of the produced milk fat.

Adding nutritional value to meat and milk from pasture-fed livestock

Staple meat and milk provide excellent nutrition, but when traditional foods and ingredients are tailored to meet the particular nutritional or lifestyle demands of a population they become even more attractive and valuable. These foods can be considered as delivery systems for health-promoting nutrients. Nutritional improvement of meat and milk can be achieved several ways, preferably by making desirable changes on-farm to directly improve the food without subsequent manipulations. Scope for these changes is limited by animal homeostasis, but alternatives may be less desirable. Methods in vivo that suit typical pastoral farming practice and can complement the solving of animal health and production problems include: selection of traits or phenotypes; specialty diets; long-acting parenteral supplements; and modification of ruminal microflora. Successful techniques to increase the concentration of calcium, selenium, iodine and iron in milk or meat are described. Manipulations to change composition are only one part of bringing tailored foods to market. Commercial realisation of these new products needs the initiative and collaboration of scientists, veterinarians, growers and producers responding to market pull. The uptake of future biotechnologies to capture more value inside the farm gate will also be required if the pastoral industry in New Zealand is to sustain a global competitive advantage.

Genetic parameters for conjugated linoleic acid, selected milk fatty acids, and milk fatty acid unsaturation of Italian Holstein-Friesian cows

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and other selected milk fatty acid (FA) content and for unsaturation ratios in the Italian Holstein Friesian population. Furthermore, the relationship of milk FA with milk fat and protein content was considered. One morning milk sample was collected from 990 Italian Holstein Friesian cows randomly sampled from 54 half-sib families, located in 34 commercial herds in the North-eastern part of Italy. Each sample was analyzed for milk percentages of fat and protein, and for single FA percentages (computed as FA weight as a proportion of total fat weight). Heritabilities were moderate for unsaturated FA, ranging from 0.14 for C16:1 to 0.19 for C14:1. Less than 10% of heritability was estimated for each saturated FA content. Heritability for index of desaturation, monounsaturated FA and CLA/trans-11 18:1 ratio were 0.15, 0.14, and 0.15, respectively. Standard errors of the heritability values ranged from 0.02 to 0.06. Genetic correlations were high and negative between C16:0 and C18:0, as well as between C14:0 and C18:0. Genetic correlations of index of desaturation were high and negative with C14:0 and C16:0 (-0.70 and -0.72, respectively), and close to zero (0.03) with C18:0. The genetic correlation of C16:0 with fat percentage was positive (0.74), implying that selection for fat percentage should result in a correlated increase of C16:0, whereas trans-11 C18:1 and cis-9, trans-11 C18:2 contents decreased with increasing fat percentage (-0.69 and -0.55, respectively). Genetic correlations of fat percentage with 14:1/14 and 16:1/16 ratios were positive, whereas genetic correlations of fat percentage with 18:1/18 and CLA/trans-11 18:1 ratios were negative. These results suggest that it is possible to change the milk FA composition by genetic selection, which offers opportunities to meet consumer demands regarding health aspects of milk and dairy products.