Seasonal Heat Stress and the Postpartum Stage Interactively Influence Milk Fatty Acid Composition in Holstein Dairy Cows in Spain.

ABSTRACT: Climate change is intensifying heat stress conditions in livestock systems, posing significant challenges to animal welfare, productivity, and food quality. This study aims to investigate the combined effects of seasonal heat stress and postpartum physiology on the milk fatty acid (FA) profile of Holstein dairy cows in Galicia, Spain. Forty milk samples were collected during winter and summer and at 1 week and 1 month postpartum. Fatty acid composition was analyzed via gas chromatography (GC-FID), and heat stress exposure was quantified using the temperature-humidity index (THI). Results revealed that heat stress significantly altered the milk lipid profile, with increased concentrations of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SMCFA) such as C10:0 and C14:1 (n-5), and conjugated linoleic a

SUBMITTER: Martinez Diez EN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12609924 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature