Effect of weaning and sex on meat fatty acid profile of grazing lambs

A study was conducted on the effect of two different lamb production systems on the fatty acid (FA) composition of subcutaneous fat of 40 purebred Ile de France lambs. In the first production system, ewes and lambs grazed on pasture without concentrate (GS), whereas in the second production system, ewes and lambs were housed indoor and fed silage/hay and concentrate (IS). Twenty lambs (7 females and 13 males) were included in each group. Lambs were slaughtered at 28.75 ± 2.76 kg. The FA were determined by gas chromatography and analysed through ANOVA by considering the following fixed effects: production system, sex and the interaction between production system and sex. Subcutaneous fat of GS lambs had greater proportion of C18:3n-3 (P <0.001), C22:5n-3 (P <0.05) and C22:6n-3 (P <0.05) than IS lambs, which resulted in a higher sum of n-3 polyunsaturated FA in GS compared to IS lambs (2.00 vs. 1.15 g/100 g FAME, P <0.001). Moreover, subcutaneous fat of GS lambs had greater proportion of c9,t11-C18:2 (P <0.001) and sum of detected conjugated linoleic acid isomers than IS lambs (2.21 vs. 0.67 g/100 g FAME, P <0.001). Females had significantly greater proportion of C18:2n-6 (P <0.05) and C18:3n-6 (P <0.001) than males. We can conclude that the GS system where lambs are raised under grazing conditions may provide carcasses with a more acceptable subcutaneous fat, as far as a human health and nutrition perspective is concerned.

Lamb holds a significant position in the food industry due to its nutritional properties and diverse flavour profiles. It serves as a source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, making it a valuable food product. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the fatty acid composition of meat, particularly concerning their impact on human health. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the fatty acid composition of lamb meat produced from the crossbreeding of Romanov sheep with Hisar rams. To achieve this, the research involved producing ram lambs of two genotypes: Romanov × Romanov (control group) and Romanov × Hisar (experimental group). The fatty acid profiles of the meat were analysed using gas chromatography following standard extraction and methylation procedures. The study revealed that the meat of crossbred lambs contains a higher level of unsaturated fatty acids compared to purebred lambs. Specifically, the crossbred lambs showed an increase in oleic acid by 1.79 % (24.59 % vs. 22.80 %), linoleic acid by 0.54 % (3.63 % vs. 3.09 %), and gondoic acid by 0.32 % (0.76 % vs. 0.44 %) (P &lt; 0.05). This enhancement contributes to improved meat quality. Among saturated fatty acids, the content of palmitic acid increased by 0.85 % (24.20 % vs. 23.35 %), while stearic acid rose by 0.34 % (21.55 % vs. 21.21 %) in crossbred lambs. The ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in the control group was 1.66, indicating a predominance of saturated fatty acids, whereas in the experimental group, this ratio was 1.55, suggesting an improvement in favour of unsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was 3.75 in the control group and 3.50 in the experimental group. Although both values are within the normal range, the slight decrease in the experimental group indicates a better balance between these fatty acids, which may be beneficial for health. These results highlight the significance of selective breeding strategies for enhancing the nutritional value of meat, which is crucial for both producers and consumers. Future research could focus on further optimising crossbreeding methods to increase the beneficial fatty acid profiles in lamb meat, exploring the impact of different diets on fatty acid composition, and assessing consumer preferences related to meat quality attributes.

During the shelf-life, meat undergoes a number of processes that negatively affect the quality of the product, including fatty acid composition. The application of various plant extracts in meat could affect the changes of fatty acids during storage. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various spice and herb extracts on fatty acid composition in raw pork, beef, and chicken meat when stored at 4 °C for 13 days. Based on multivariate statistical analysis, two datasets were extracted from each type of meat. One dataset included samples with allspice, bay leaf, black seed, cardamom, caraway, clove, and nutmeg with the high share of total MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) in chicken and pork meat and high MUFA and PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) contribution in beef meat after storage. The second dataset included basil, garlic, onion, oregano, rosemary, and thyme with high PUFA share in chicken and pork meat and high SFA (saturated fatty acids) contribution in beef meat. From the regression analysis, a significant effect of time on fatty acid composition in meat was reported. Generally, the rates of fatty acid changes were dependent on the plant extract incorporated into the meat. The most visible effect of plant extracts was obtained in chicken meat. In chicken meat with plant extracts, the rates of SFA and PUFA changes with time were slower compared to the control sample. In summary, the fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat varied during storage, and the addition of plant extracts significantly affected the rate of these changes, which was dependent on the meat matrix.

Impact of dietary Babassu oil and sunflower oil blend on feed intake, carcass traits, and fatty acid composition in meat of lambs.

Polymorphism in the SCD gene is associated with meat quality and fatty acid composition in Iranian fat- and thin-tailed sheep breeds

Simsek, U.G., Ciftci, M., Cerci, I.H., Gurses, M. and Guvenc, M. 2009. Effect of improved housing design and sexing on carcass traits and fatty acid composition of meat in broiler chicken. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 36: 219–222. To study the effects of improved housing design (sand bedding and provision of perches) and sexing on carcass traits and fatty acid composition, 480 Ross-308 chicks were assigned to two groups including equal number of male and female. At d 42, 8 representative males and 8 females were slaughtered from each group. Their carcasses were evaluated. Fatty acid composition of whole carcass (4 males, 4 females) and meat from breast and left thigh from the remaining 4 males and 4 females were evaluated. Carcass traits did not differ between groups. Total PUFA, ω-3 and ω-6 ratios increased and total SFA and MUFA ratios decreased (P<0.001), in the improved housing group. Total SFA was found to be higher in female than male broiler (P<0.05). It was concluded that improved housing with perches and sand bedding improved chicken meat quality and increased total polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio of the meat. Sexing significantly affected fatty acids composition of meat.

Cultivation of the Australian red-clawed crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus has become popular in many countries due to the rapid growth rate, high nutritional and biological value of the meat, and quite significant demand among consumers. The aim of our study was to determine the chemical, amino acid and fatty acid composition of Cherax quadricarinatus crayfish meat and its energy value when fed with different types of feed. The fatty acid composition of crayfish meat was determined by the chromatographic method, and the amino acid composition by the capillary electrophoresis method. It was established that when feeding crayfish with the developed Decapodafood feed, the energy value of crayfish meat was 4.3 kcal more than when feeding crayfish with aquarium feed Ancistrus menu. Feeding with Decapodafood promotes a higher content of essential amino acids compared to feeding with commercial aquarium food Ancistrus menu. In particular, a higher content of essential amino acids such as threonine, valine, methionine, lysine in the meat was statistically probable. In addition, a high biological value and digestibility of crayfish meat was found, as the sum of ΣEAA/ΣNEAA in all samples was more than 80%, which is on average 20% more than the standard indicator recommended by FAO/WHO. Feeding crayfish with Decapodafood helps to reduce saturated fatty acids in meat and increase unsaturated ones. In particular, a 1.9 times lower content of lauric acid and 1.5 times lower margaric acid was found in the meat of crayfish fed Decapodafood, compared to crayfish fed Ancistrus menu aquarium food, and myristic and pentadecanoic acid were on average 1.3 times smaller. Among unsaturated fatty acids, a probable increase of 1.4 times was noted for palmitoleic and docosahexaenoic acids, compared to their content in control meat. The content of other polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and eicosapentaenoic), although higher, was insignificant. Therefore, feeding Cherax quadricarinatus crayfish with Decapodafood helps to improve the energy and biological value of the obtained meat, which makes it a highly digestible and delicate product. Key words: Cherax quadricarinatus, crayfish meat, Decapodafood, amino acid, fatty acid composition of meat.

Effect of selection for intramuscular fat on the fatty acid composition of rabbit meat

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different lines and generations of adult males and females of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) on total lipid, fatty acid (FA) composition and cholesterol content of breast muscle, as well as the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling the above mentioned meat quality traits. Forty-four quails (generation F0), 22 Pharaoh (F-33) meat-type males and 22 Standard (S-22) laying-type females, were crossed to produce the F1 hybrids generation. F2 generation was created by mating one F1 male with one F1 female, full siblings. The birds, randomly chosen from F0 (22 males and 22 females), F1 (22 males and 22 females) and F2 (84 males and 152 females), were raised to 20 weeks of age in collective cages. After slaughter the carcasses were dissected and the breast muscle was removed for the chemical analysis. Genomic DNA was extracted from the whole blood and 30 microsatellite markers located on two quail chromosomes were genotyped. S-22 quails exhibited higher amounts of total saturated fatty acids (SFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while F-33 quails had a greater content of total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). F-33 quails supplied meat with lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes. A partial effect of sex on the FA composition of quail meat was found in the F1 generation; while in the F2 generation a sex-effect was more evident. F2 females exhibited a higher PUFA content and PUFA/SFA ratio, and a lower muscle cholesterol content compared to F2 males. In conclusion, total lipid, FA composition and cholesterol content were affected by first- and second-generation crosses. For the cholesterol content a QTL showing additive effect has been detected on CJA02 at 85 cM; no QTLs were found for total SFA, MUFA and PUFA. To current knowledge, this is the first study of a QTL associated with muscle cholesterol in quails.

Simple SummaryFeed additives based on medicinal plants, such as neem and moringa plant extracts, are used to mitigate rumen methane emissions, but data regarding their effects on lamb meat quality are scarce. This study investigated the effects of oral supplementation of neem and moringa leaf extracts on the carcass quality and meat fatty acid composition of lambs. Neem leaf extracts had no effect on carcass fat and meat fatty acid composition. Whereas, Moringa leaf extract improved the meat fatty acid composition of lambs compared to the monensin treatment. There is an increased interest in the use of medicinal plants as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters and as agents for methane production mitigation. This study investigated the effects of Azadirachta indica and Moringa oleifera feed additives on the carcass and meat quality of lambs. Forty South African Mutton Merino lambs, weighing between 29 and 43 kg, were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (n = 10 lambs/treatment) and fed a basal total mixed ration (TMR) containing soybean meal (17%), yellow maize (28%), Alfalfa hay (20%), Eragrostis curvula hay (22.2%), molasses (6.0%), wheat offal (5%), urea (0.8%) and vitamin premix (0.5%) on a DM basis. The dietary treatments: TMR diet (control); TMR diet with A. indica leaf extract (A. indica leaf extract at a dosage of 50 mg per kg of feed: neem); TMR diet with M. oleifera leaf extract (M. oleifera leaf extract at a dosage of 50 mg per kg DM of feed: moringa); TMR diet with monensin (at a dosage of 50 mg monensin sodium per kg of feed: positive control). After an adaptation period of 10 days to the experimental conditions, the lambs from all treatment groups were fed ad libitum with the experimental diets. The lambs were slaughtered at a live weight of 60–65 kg after a 23 week trial period. The plant extract dietary additives had no significant effects on the carcass characteristics of the lambs. In comparison to monensin, supplementing with moringa leaf extracts resulted in a higher proportion of C18:1n9c (45.0% ± 0.57 vs. 40.5% ± 0.80; p < 0.05), total MUFAs (47.3% ± 0.66 vs. 42.6% ± 0.87; p < 0.05), and UFA:SFA ratio (1.01 ± 0.03 vs. 0.85 ± 0.03; p < 0.05), which may be beneficial for human health. Our results suggest that natural feed additives, such as A. indica and M. oleifera leaf extracts, can be included in lamb diets without compromising meat fatty acid composition. The negative economic impacts of such technologies on animal production and farm profitability should not be expected.

Effect of pan-frying in different culinary fats on the fatty acid profile of pork

Probiotics are widely used for intensive technologies of growing broiler chickens due to their ecologically harmless properties, increasing productivity and obtaining safe and high-quality meat products. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of the probiotic biopreparation Subtiform on the amino and fatty acid composition and biological value of chicken meat after drinking the probiotic biopreparation Subtiform in different doses. Broiler chickens from 28 to 42 days of age were given the probiotic bio preparation Subtiform, which contains Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis at 2.5 × 109 CFU/g and dry milk serum per 20 birds in a cage: control - birds were not given probiotics with water; experiment 1 – 0.5 g/10 dm3 of water; experiment 2 – 2.0 g/10 dm3 of water; experiment 3 – 4.0 g/10 dm3 of water. The total content of amino acids in the breast meat of broiler chickens slightly increased in experiment 1 – by 1.71 % (Р &lt; 0.01), in experiment 2 – by 3.57 % (Р ≤ 0.001), in experiment 3 – by 12.35 % (Р ≤ 0.001). The content of essential amino acids in breast meat was increased – 5.39 ± 0.04 mg/100 mg (Р ≤ 0.001) due to an increase in the content of methionine – 1.7 times (Р ≤ 0.01), leucine – by 1.3 times (Р ≤ 0.001), lysine and isoleucine – 1.2 times compared to the control group; the content of substituted amino acids also increased – 9.07 ± 0.04 mg/100 mg (Р ≤ 0.001) due to an increase in the content of aspartic acid – 1.2 times (Р ≤ 0.01), glutamic acid – 1.13 times (Р ≤ 0.01), as well as a decrease in glycine content – by 1.2 times (Р≤0.01) compared to the control group. The protein-quality index in experiment 3 was higher due to the increased content of tryptophan – 0.37 ± 0.025 mg/100 mg of meat (Р ≤ 0.001) and oxyproline – 0.06 ± 0.002 mg/100 mg of meat (Р ≤ 0.001). A positive effect of the probiotic biological preparation of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis on the fatty acid composition of the meat of broiler chickens of the research groups was established. The highest total content of saturated fatty acids to the total content of fatty acids in percentage was in experimental group 3 – 38.39 ± 0.002 %, which accordingly increased by 8.11 % compared to the control group (35.51 ± 0.002 %), due to the increase due to the increase in palmitic, stearic, iso-stearic content. The content of monounsaturated acids was characterized by the content of myrostolenic, palmitoleic, heptadeceneic, oleic, gondoic, and erucic nervonic acids. The highest content of monounsaturated fatty acids in experimental group 3 is 43.77 ± 0.002 % (Р≤0.001) due to an increase in the content of 43.77 ± 0.002 % (Р ≤ 0.001) of palmitoleic, oleic and gondoic acids. The increase in the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the meat of broiler chickens in experimental sample 3 was the highest – 25.16 ± 0.02 % (Р ≤ 0.001) due to the increase in the content (Р ≤ 0.001) of linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic fatty acids. The highest total content of omega-3 was in experimental groups of broiler chicken meat 2 and 3, respectively – 1.03 ± 0.001 % (Р ≤ 0.001) and 1.30 ± 0.001 % (Р ≤ 0.001) and omega-6, respectively – 22.98 ± 0.014 % (Р ≤ 0.001) and 23.40 ± 0.015 % (Р ≤ 0.001). The ratio ∑Omega-6/∑Omega-3 was – 22.31 and 18.00 in experimental groups 2 and 3, respectively. An increase in the relative biological value of meat (103.85 %) was observed when using Tetrachimena piriformis in a dose of the probiotic biopreparation Subtiform – 4.0 g/10 dm3 of water. The practical value of the research lies in the use of the probiotic biopreparation Subtiform to increase the biological value of meat and improve the amino acid and fatty acid profile.

Fatty acid composition of the meat and fat of the one-humped camel ( camelus dromedarius)

Meat fatty acid composition as affected by fatness and genetic factors: a review

The study was conducted in order to determine how the slaughter age (SA) and muscle type (MT) affect technological properties and fatty acid composition (FAC) of meat among Linda geese reared under the breeder conditions. A total of 16 male geese were slaughtered in order to determine the technological properties and FAC of meat. It was determined that the effect of SA on pH15 and pH24 (TM), water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), and drip loss (DL) of the thigh muscle was all statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05). The effect of SA on pH24, WHC, CL, and the 168th-hour DL of pectoral muscle (PM), was statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05). Moreover, the effect of MT on pH15, pH24, WHC, CL and DL in the 12th week and on pH15, pH24, WHC and DL in the 16th week was found to be statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05). Additionally, the effect of SA on monounsaturated fatty acid (ΣMUFA) of TM and polyunsaturated fatty acid (ΣPUFA) of PM and Σω-6 ratios was statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05). Consequently, it was concluded that SA was better in the 12th week than the 16th week and PM was better than TM. The 16-week TM was better in terms of ΣMUFA, the 12-week PM was better in terms of ΣPUFA and Σω-6, and the 12-week TM was better in terms of Σω-3 amount and ω-6/ω-3 ratio. Therefore, it can be recommended that 12-week-old Linda geese be selected in terms of selected meat traits and FAC of meat.