The interaction between silage type and feeding intensity significantly alters the deposition of specific fatty acids, such as C18:3 n-3 and DPA, in intramuscular fat of Holstein-Friesian bulls, indicating that the effect of dietary energy supply on fatty acid composition depends on the forage base.

When cattle eat grass silage, more plant-based omega-3 fats survive digestion and get turned into longer-chain omega-3 fats in the muscle. When they eat more feed, their bodies make more fat overall, which increases the total amount of all fatty acids but spreads the omega-3 fats thinner across more fat. Grass silage also changes how the body converts one fat into another, boosting the production of oleic acid. Together, these processes determine the final mix of fats in the muscle.