Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the concentration of C18:3 n-3 and the total concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and n-3 PUFA in the diet on the performance of pigs, carcass characteristics, and fatty acid profile of intramuscular fat of Musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD) and subcutaneous tissue (ST) fat. Twenty-four crossbred pigs ♂Duroc x ♀(Polish Large White x Danish Landrace) were divided into 3 groups (A, B, and C) and from 60 to 105 kg body weight (BW) were fed isoenergetic (average 13.5 ME MJ . kg -1 ) and isolysinic (average 7.4 g . kg -1 standardized ileal digestible lysine) diets in which 10% of the metabolizable energy had been replaced by fat mixtures totaling 3.5% per kg diet. Diet A contained 1% rapeseed oil, 2% fish oil, and 0.5% lard; diet B contained 2.5% rapeseed oil and 1% linseed oil; and diet C contained 2.5% linseed oil and 1% fish oil. The diets had similar amounts of C18:2 n-6, but differed in the amounts of C18:3 n-3 (ALA), 20:5 n-3 (EPA), and 22:6 n-3 (DHA). Fat mixtures in the diet did not influence growth, carcass performance, lipid or fatty acid concentrations in the tissues of the pigs, but changed their PUFA concentration. ST fat compared with MLD fat had a higher (P<0.01) ratio of both PUFA/SFA (0.61 and 0.38 vs 0.74 and 0.32 vs 0.77 and 0.41, respectively, in groups A, B, and C) and PUFA n-6/n-3 PUFA (9.0 and 4.45 vs 6.18 and 3.82 vs 3.99 and 3.51, respectively, in groups A, B and C). Meat and fat from pigs of group C had PUFA/SFA and PUFA n-6/n-3 PUFA values consistent with WHO recommendations. Thus, it can be concluded that supplementation of the diet for pigs with a mixture of linseed oil and fish oil makes it possible to obtain good quality pork with health-promoting properties.
Highlights
The fatty acid composition of meat has long been studied but still receives much attention due to its implications for human health (e.g., Laaksonen et al, 2005)
Due to supplementation with different fat mixtures composed of linseed oil, rapeseed oil, and fish oil but varying in their fatty acid (FA) profiles, the diets provided different amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (ALA, EPA, and DHA) and different PUFA/saturated fatty acids (SFA) and C18:2 n-6/C18:3 n-3 ratios
Pigs fed the diet supplemented with linseed oil and fish oil increased the concentration of n-3 PUFA, C18:3 n-3 in their tissues, those fed the diet with rapeseed oil and fish oil had increased C18:2 n-6 and n-3 PUFA concentrations in their tissues
Summary
The fatty acid composition of meat has long been studied but still receives much attention due to its implications for human health (e.g., Laaksonen et al, 2005). Linoleic acid (LA, C18:2 n-6) and ALA are classified as essential fatty acids, i.e., they must be supplied in the diet The organisms of both humans and pigs are able to metabolize about one-third of dietary ALA to EPA and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, C22:5 n-3), and to a lesser degree, to DHA (e.g., Kloareg et al, 2007). As humans age, the capacities of enzymes (elongases, ∆6- and ∆5-desaturases) involved in the biosynthesis of EPA, DPA, and DHA has been found to decrease (Heird and Lapillonne, 2005) For this reason, fish oils are a better source of EPA and DHA and are used to modify the fatty acid profile of the carcass, thereby effectively enhancing pork in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
