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Analysing goat milk oligosaccharides: unlocking infant nutrition potential

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December 13, 2024

What are the genetic and environmental factors that shape goat milk oligosaccharide composition?

Researchers from the Animal Breeding and Genomics group of Wageningen University & Research and Ausnutria studied the goat milk oligosaccharide content from approximately 1,000 dairy goats across 18 farms to find out.

Milk provides necessary elements required by newborns, including primary nutrients like fat and protein. Additionally, it contains components like minerals and oligosaccharides that offer additional health benefits. Oligosaccharides are complex carbohydrates that promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria like bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, stimulate the immune system, and inhibit the adhesion of pathogens.

Goat milk for infant formula

Exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life is considered the most optimal source of nutrition for infants. However, if breastfeeding is not possible, goat milk-based infant formula can be a good alternative. Compared to milk from cows and sheep, the milk of goats can contain oligosaccharides which are closer to the amounts present in human milk. Therefore, infant formula based on goat milk can be a natural source of oligosaccharides.

However, because there are considerable differences in oligosaccharide composition between human and goat milk, additional research on how to enhance the diversity and content of specific goat milk oligosaccharides may improve the health benefits of goat milk for the production of infant formula. If there is genetic variation in goat milk oligosaccharide composition, selective breeding might be an option to achieve a composition that is more similar to human milk.

Effects of genetic and environmental factors

To gain more insights into the extent to which genetic and environmental factors influence goat milk oligosaccharide composition, the researchers studied the goat milk oligosaccharide content from approximately 1,000 dairy goats across 18 farms. They found large differences between individual goats in goat milk oligosaccharide content. A major part of these differences could be related to genetic differences between goats. Heritability estimates ranged from moderate to very high, and strong phenotypic and genetic correlations were identified between specific goat milk oligosaccharides.

In addition to genetics, all the goat milk oligosaccharides that were evaluated were significantly affected by differences between farms. The causal factors behind these farm differences could not be identified, but it seems likely that they are related to the feeding regime. The importance of farm effects differed considerably among goat milk oligosaccharides. For example, some goat milk oligosaccharides were significantly affected by lactation stage, but these effects were relatively small compared to the genetic and farm effects.

Selective breeding for optimised oligosaccharide composition

“Our results show that specific goat milk oligosaccharides are strongly affected by genetic factors, which makes them interesting candidates for selective breeding programs designed to change fucosylated oligosaccharide levels in a desired direction,” says Richard Crooijmans, associate professor at the Animal Breeding and Genomics group. “Such breeding programs could be of interest for goat farmers who supply milk to dairies specialised in the production of infant formula.”