Fatty Acids Profile of Intramuscular Fat in Light Lambs Traditionally and Artificially Reared

Abstract

The quality of 40 carcasses of light lambs of the synthetic population of Slovak Dairy sheep from (a) artificial rearing (AR) and (b) traditional rearing (TR) was assessed on the basis of fatty acids profile of intramuscular fat (IMF). Lambs from AR in comparison with TR were of lower quality as assessed on the basis of fatty acids (FAs) profile. The content of conjugated linolic acid (CLA) in the fat of TR lambs was severalfold higher (0.749 vs. 0.193 g.100g-1 FAME, P<0.001) than in AR lambs. Similarly, the content of trans-vaccenic (TVA), á-linolenic (ALA), rumenic (RA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was in TR lambs significantly higher (P<0.001) than in AR lambs (0.955 vs. 0.111; 0.715 vs. 0.251; 0.672 vs. 0.148; 0.352 vs. 0.061; 0.252 vs. 0.079 g.100g-1 FAME). In contrary, the content of linoleic acid (LA), the ratio of LA/ALA and n-6/n-3 in AR lambs was higher than in TR lambs (9.07 vs. 4.81 g.100 g-1 FAME; 39.11 vs. 6.80; 14.56 vs. 3.25, P<0.001). In TR lambs the content of n-3 PUFA and BCFA was significantly higher (P<0.001) than in AR lambs (2.08 vs. 0.84 and 1.95 vs. 0.45). The value of thrombogenic index was higher in AR lambs in comparison with TR lambs (1.44 vs. 1.31; P<0.05). Significant differences between FAs of IMF of ram lambs and ewe lambs were observed only in the case of arachidonic acid (P<0.05).

Keywords

• sheep
• light lambs
• artificial and traditional rearing
• carcass
• meat quality
• intramuscular fat
• fatty acids
• cla