May s, 1933 
Fatty Acids in Butter Fat * 
393 
The 29 samples of butter fat of grade Holsteins and grade Jerseys on 
normal rations, reported above, contained on the average 94.82 per cent 
of total fatty acids with a neutralization number of 244; 0.84 per cent 
of free fatty acids; 7.30 per cent of soluble fatty acids with a neutraliza¬ 
tion number of 504; 87.52 per cent of insoluble fatty acids with a neutral¬ 
ization number of 222.36; and 12.55 per cent of glycerol. The range in 
percentage and in neutralization number of both the soluble and insoluble 
fatty acids was rather pronounced. 
Tabi,^ XXXII .—Fatty acids in 21 samples of butter fat from Massachusetts cows fed 
normal rations 
Fatty acids. 
Average 
Range. 
Soluble acids: 
Butyric acid ® (by difference). 
Per cent. 
2.932 
1.898 
.786 
1*570 
Percent, 
2.241 to 4.230 
1.290to 2.400 
.527 to 1.041 
1.187 to 2.0^ 
Caproic acid ®. 
Caprylic acid ®. 
Capric acid ®. 
Total... 
7.186 
6.470 to 8.60X 
Insoluble acids: 
Lauric acid.. 
5-849 
19.784 
15.167 
14.907 
31-895 
4 .533 to 7*687 
15.554 to 22.618 
5.782 to 22.863 
7.803 to 20.370 
25.273 to 40.313 
Myristic acid.. 
Palmitic acid (by difference). 
Stearic acid... 
Oleic acid. 
Total. 
87.602 
86.145 to 88.471 
Total fatty acids... 
94.788 
94.746 to 94.980 
• Twenty samples. 
The 20 samples of butter fat (analyzed for fatty acids) from cows on 
normal rations contained on the average 2.93 per cent of butyric acid, 
1.90 per cent of caproic acid, 0.79 per cent of caprylic acid, and 1.57 
per cent of capric acid. The range in individual acids averaged about 
85 per cent, but in most cases the differences were fairly compensating 
as determined by the neutralization number. 
The 21 samples averaged 5.85 per cent of lauric acid, 19.78 per cent 
of myristic acid, 15.17 per cent of palmitic acid, 14.91 per cent of stearic 
acid, and 31.90 per cent of oleic acid. The range in lauric, m3rristic, 
and oleic acids was less proportionally than in the solubles, in stearic acid 
somewhat greater, and in palmitic acid almost 300 per cent. As the 
neutralization number of palmitic acid is nearly that of the average 
insoluble acid mixture the other four acids were fairly compensating in 
most instances. 
