Increasing the lipid content of ruminant diets may
have multiple benefits: (1) to increase the energy concentration
of the ration to meet requirements of highproduction
animals; (2) to decrease the risk of ruminal
acidosis and milk fat depression when low-forage diets
are fed; and (3) to modify the type and amount of
fatty acids (FA) in animal products (Chilliard and Ollier,
1994). The last factor is especially important as
a means to enhance the healthy properties of animal
foods or decrease the potential negative effects of specific
FA to the human consumer.