Abstract
The present study aimed to thoroughly describe the profile of fatty acids in mare milk from farms with different management systems and changes during lactation. Eighteen mares belonging to three commercial farms (6 mares per farm) were milked during the complete lactation period (six months). Fat content was determined by infrared spectroscopy, while fatty acid methyl esters were analyzed using a GC-FID. Mare milk, in general, contained 47.5 % saturated, 25.3 % monounsaturated, and 26.5 % polyunsaturated fatty acids. A high proportion of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 but a low concentration of their long-chain metabolites was observed, and seven branched-chain fatty acids were identified. Stage of lactation significantly influenced the content of most individual fatty acids, and in general, milk from mares managed under pasture-based feeding systems showed a higher content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. This study provides new insights into mare milk FA composition and into dynamics of mare milk nutritional quality as affected by lactation stage and grazing intensity.
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