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Influence of Sex and Diet on Lutein in Lamb Fat¹

University of Wyoming, Laramie 82071

Abstract

Sixty-four ram and wether lambs were fed a high or a low energy diet and slaughtered at 60 to 80 kg for an assessment of the influence of diet and sex on lutein concentration in lamb fat. Outer subcutaneous fat samples were removed from the lower portion of wholesale ribs of 40 of the carcasses that had either the whitest or the yellowest fat. Lutein concentrations in the fat were correlated with carcass characteristics, fatty acid composition and lean flavor. Higher levels of lutein in the fat were associated with yellower fat color and lower carcass grades. More intense flavor in meat from ram and wether lambs was also associated with higher lutein values. Fat from lambs on the high energy corn diet had less lutein than fat from lambs on the low energy alfalfa diet because of the higher lutein content of the alfalfa. Ram lambs fed the low energy diet accumulated much higher concentrations of lutein in their fat than did wethers fed the same diet, but when high energy diets low in lutein were fed, neither rams nor wethers accumulated significant quantities of lutein. Overall, yellow fat, which is caused by high lutein levels, can be decreased by castration before the lambs reach 60 d of age or by the feeding of a diet low in lutein.

¹ Wyoming Paper No. JA 1149