Effects of castration and slaughter age on the fatty acid composition of ovine muscle and adipose tissue from two breeds

Abstract

Fatty acids (g/100 g total fatty acids) in M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and total branched chain fatty acids (μg/g fat) in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of rams and castrates from Scottish Blackface (SB) or Texel × Scottish Blackface (T × SB) lambs, slaughtered at mean ages of 196, 242, 293, 344 or 385 days were determined. Lambs were fed pasture prior to a 36-day finishing period on a barley/maize-based concentrate ration. The intramuscular fat content (IMF; %) was higher (P < 0.001) in castrates than in rams and in SB compared to T × SB lambs (P < 0.001). The proportions of c9-C18:1 and total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were higher (P < 0.001) in LTL of castrates than rams. The proportions of C18:2n-6 and total n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were lower (P = 0.001) in LTL of castrates compared to rams related to differences in IMF content. The proportions of C14:0, C16:0, c9-C18:1 and total MUFA were higher (P < 0.05), while the proportions of C18:2n-6, C20:4n-6, C20:5n-3, total PUFA, n-6 and n-3 PUFA were lower (P < 0.05), in SB than in T × SB lambs, which was related to differences in IMF content. There was a higher (P < 0.001) proportion of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) c9,t11-C18:2 in LTL from SB compared to T × SB. The effects of slaughter age on the proportions of fatty acids in LTL did not show a clear trend. The concentration of 4-methylnonanoic acid was higher (P = 0.002) in SAT of rams than castrates, particularly in older lambs. Despite the differences in the muscle fatty acid composition due to gender, slaughter age or breed of lambs, the ratio of n-6/n-3 PUFA (≤3.11) was within the dietary recommendation of <4.0 for human health.