Glyceride Structure of Sows’ Milk and Colostrum Fat

The glyceride structure of sows' colostrum and milk fat followed the pattern of distribution established for porcine body fats and lard. There was a preferential positioning of palmitic acid at the 2-position of the glycerides, and oleic and linoleic acids were esterifled primarily at the 1- and 3-positions. A comparison of colostrum, milk and body fat revealed that in fatty acid composition and glyceride type distribution colostrum fat resembled body fat more than milk fat. Milk fat at the end of the first week of lactation did not differ in fatty acid composition or glyceride type distribution from milk fat at the end of the third week of lactation.