Fatty Acid Compositions of Certain Ovine Tissues as Affected by Maintenance Level Rations of Roughage and Concentrate

Abstract

Lambs were fed high-concentrate and high-roughage rations isocalorically at a maintenance level. The high-concentrate group received more oleic and linoleic and less linolenic acids daily. Liver triglyceride fatty acids and esterified cholesterol were increased, and phospholipid fatty acids were decreased by the high-concentrate ration. The increase in triglyceride fatty acids was mainly due to increases in monoenoic and dienoic acids, that of esterified cholesterol was due mainly to increases of monoenoic and dienoic esters, and the decrease in phospholipid fatty acids was due mainly to decreases in stearic and trienoic acids. The thoracic lymph of the high-concentrate-fed group appeared to contain more mono-enoic and dienoic but less trienoic acids than did that of the high-roughage-fed group. The levels of monoenoic and dienoic acids were higher in adipose tissue and blood serum of lambs in the high-concentrate group, while the level of trienoic acids was lower. The amount of transconfiguration in the liver triglycericles and phospholipids and in the thoracic lymph was essentially the same in both groups of lambs.