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Manipulation of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content of muscle and adipose tissue in lambs¹

S. L. Cooper^*, L. A. Sinclair^*,2, R. G. Wilkinson^*, K. G. Hallett, M. Enser and J. D. Wood

^* ASRC, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8NB, United Kingdom and and Division of Farm Animal Science, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU, United Kingdom

² Correspondence—phone: ++ 44 1952 815332; fax: ++ 44 1952 814783; e-mail: lsinclair{at}harper-adams.ac.uk.

Abstract

Fifty Suffolk-crossbred wether lambs, with an initial live weight of 29 ± 2.1 kg, were allocated to one of five concentrate-based diets formulated to have a similar fatty acid content (60 g/kg DM), but containing either linseed oil (high in 18:3n–3); fish oil (high in 20:5n–3 and 22:6n–3); protected linseed and soybean (PLS; high in 18:2n–6 and 18:3n–3); fish oil and marine algae (fish/algae; high in 20:5n–3 and 22:6n–3); or PLS and algae (PLS/algae; high in 18:3n–3 and 22:6n–3). Lambs were slaughtered when they reached 40 kg. Growth performance and intake were similar (P > 0.35) among treatments. By contrast, gain:feed was higher (P < 0.05) in lambs fed the fish oil compared with the linseed oil or PLS/algae diets. Total fatty acid concentration (mg/100 g) in the neutral lipid of the longissimus muscle was not affected by treatment (P > 0.87) but was least (P < 0.05) in the phospholipid fraction in lambs fed the linseed oil diet. Lambs fed either diet containing marine algae contained the highest (P < 0.05) percentage of 22:6n–3 in the phospholipid (mean of 5.2%), 2.8-fold higher than in sheep fed the fish oil diet. In lambs fed the fish/algae diet, the percentage of 20:5n–3 was highest (P < 0.05), contributing some 8.7, 0.8, and 0.5% of the total fatty acids in the muscle phospholipid, neutral lipids, and adipose tissue, respectively. The percentage of 18:3n–3 in the phospholipid fraction of the LM was highest (P < 0.05) in lambs fed the linseed oil diet (6.9%), a value double that of sheep fed the PLS diet. By contrast, lambs fed the PLS diet had twice the percentage of 18:3n–3 in the muscle neutral lipids (3.8%) than those offered the linseed oil diet, and 5.5-fold greater than lambs fed the fish/algae treatment (P < 0.05), an effect that was similar in the adipose tissue. The percentage of 18:2n–6 was highest (P < 0.05) in lambs fed the PLS diet, where it contributed 33.7, 10.1, and 11.2% in the muscle phospholipid, neutral lipids, and adipose tissue, respectively. The highest (P < 0.05) muscle PUFA-to-saturated fatty acid (P:S) ratio was obtained in lambs fed the PLS diet (0.57), followed by the PLS/algae diet (0.46), and those fed the fish oil or linseed oil diets had the lowest ratios (0.19 and 0.26, respectively). The favorable P:S ratio of lambs fed the PLS/algae diet, in conjunction with the increased levels of 20:5n–3 and 22:6n–3, enhanced the nutritional qualities of lamb to more closely resemble what is recommended for the human diet.

Key Words: Adipose Tissue • Lambs • Marine Algae • Oils • Phospholipids

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