Composition of Fatty Acids in Bone Marrow of Red Deer from Various Ecosystems and Different Categories

Abstract

In this study, the influence of the living conditions of red deer (Cervus elaphus) fawns (wild vs. farmed) and effect of the category of free-living animals (fawns vs. does) on the fatty acid (FA) profile of the leg bone marrow was assessed. The composition of FAs in the deer bone marrow was determined by the gas chromatography method. In all groups, oleic acid (18:1 c9) was the most abundant in deer bone marrow and comprised of approximately 37% of total FAs. The bone marrow of young wild deer was characterized by a significantly (p p p cis branched-chain FAs and monounsaturated FAs trans (p p > 0.05) differences were found between fawns, in terms of partial sums of PUFA, a significantly (p n-3 and n-6 FAs and more favorable n-6/n-3 ratio in the bone marrow of wild fawns were determined. In general, the legs of wild fawns were better prepared for wintering than farmed ones. In turn, comparing the category-related FAs composition in the bone marrow of free-living animals, a more favorable profile was observed in the adult (does) than in the young (fawns) animals, as the bone marrow of the wild does was characterized by significantly (p cis.

Keywords

• <i>Cervus elaphus</i>
• bone marrow
• gas chromatography
• fatty acids
• living conditions
• nutritional status