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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #235669
Title: Different Oilseed Supplements Alter Fatty Acid Composition of Different Adipose Tissues of Adult Ewes.

Author
item PENG, YUNSHUO - GANSU AGRICULTURAL UNIV.
item BROWN, MICHAEL
item WU, JIANPING - GANSU AGRICULTURAL UNIV.
item LIU, Z - GANSU AGRICULTURAL UNIV.

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/3/2010
Publication Date: 3/3/2010
Citation: Peng, Y., Brown, M.A., Wu, J., Liu, Z. 2010. Different oilseed supplements alter fatty acid composition of different adipose tissues of adult ewes. Meat Science. 85(3):542-549.

Interpretive Summary: Manipulation of beneficial and less desirable fatty acid concentrations in meat products could be useful in production of healthier foods for human consumption. Research at Gansu Agricultural University in cooperation with USDA-ARS Grazinglands Research Laboratory evaluated the effects of type of oilseed supplement on fatty acid composition of adipose tissue from external kidney, back, tail, and muscle tissue in the carcasses and kidneys of ewes. Results from this research suggested that total saturated fatty acid concentrations could be reduced in intramuscular fat when ewes are supplemented with safflower oilseed meal. Fat trimmed from tail fat of ewes supplemented with safflower and sunflower oilseed meal appear to have greater ratios of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids and greater levels of conjugated linoleic acid in tail fat from ewes supplemented with safflower oilseed meal. The essential fatty acids, linoleic acid and linolenic acid, appear to be generally greater in back fat. Consequently, it appears possible to produce meat products with more beneficial fatty acid composition through differential oilseed supplementation. This may provide more healthful choices of adipose tissue used to extend ground meat products.

Technical Abstract: Lamb and mutton are important dietary components in human diets in northwest China and throughout the world. Fatty acid composition is an important factor in the definition of meat quality due to its association with meat odor and flavor and nutritional value of fat for human consumption. Twenty-five mature Small Tail Han ewes were used to investigate the effects of supplemental oilseeds in the diet (sunflower seed, safflower seed, rapeseed, and linseed) on fatty acid composition in different tissues (longissimus dorsi muscle, tail fat, subcutaneous back fat and kidney fat). Averaged over tissue, safflower seed was most effective in enhancing the concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and total unsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.05) and linseed was most effective in reducing the n6/n3 value (P < 0.05). Fatty acid composition for most major fatty acids differed among tissues (P < 0.05) but tissue differences varied depending on oilseed supplement (P < 0.05). Proportions of CLA and total unsaturated fatty acids were greatest in tail fat (P < 0.05) and tail fat was the most responsive tissue to improvement in fatty acid profile through supplementation. Beneficial fatty acid content of tissues can be increased by oilseed supplementation, but the magnitude of increase varies according to tissue. Keywords: sheep; oil seed; conjugated linoleic acid; n6/n3