Cattle individual breeds

The colour of dairy products such as butter and cheese is due to fat-soluble pigments, especially carotenoids, which are not synthesized by the animal but are obtained from plant sources in the diet. Therefore, feed has a major effect on the colour of milk-fat. Cows fed on grass produce a more yellow-coloured fat than animals fed on hay or concentrates. The ability of cattle to metabolize carotenes to vitamin A varies between breeds and between individuals (Chapter 6). 

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