Feeding Cows for the Production of Butter with Good Spreadability at Refrigeration Temperatures

Domestic refrigerators operated at +2°-4°C render butter almost unspreadable. Soft margarines overcome this problem and have further appeal in their low content of saturated fats.

Understanding the digestive physiology of ruminants, the chemistry of milk fat formation and the nature of the rheological properties of fats has suggested a number of approaches, including dietary modification, for inducing highly unsaturated fats in milk.

The disadvantage of many of these is their cost, though new markets for conventional products, modified to contemporary consumer requirements, may accommodate this.