Abstract

In this study, the effect of feeding regime on fatty acid composition including conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) of omental, perirenal and tail fat from Akkaraman lambs, the most widespread sheep breed in central Anatolia, was investigated. Forty-five suckling lambs, born in the same farm, were fed mainly maternal milk from birth to weaning and then the lambs were divided into three groups. One group (maternal milk-fed group) of the lambs was directly slaughtered after weaning. A second group (pasture group) was allowed to graze a natural pasture and slaughtered at three months after weaning. Third group (concentrate group) was fed concentrate ad-libitum together with 150 g/day alfalfa and slaughtered at three months after weaning. In all feeding regime, the predominant fatty acids were C 16:0 palmitic and C 18:0 stearic acid as saturated fatty acid (SFA), C 18:1ω9 oleic acid as monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and C 18:2 ω6 linoleic acid as polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). Omental, perirenal and tail fat of the pasture-fed lambs contained more total CLA, total ω3, ω3/ω6ratio compared with that of the concentrate-fed lambs. Moreover, omental, perirenal and tail fat of concentrate-fed lambs had higher ω6/ω3 ratio and this ratio was decreased by pasture feeding.

Key words: Akkaraman lambs, pasture, suckling, concentrate, fatty acid composition, conjugated linoleic acid.

Abbreviation

CLA, Conjugated linoleic acid; SFA, saturated fatty acid; MUFA,monounsaturated fatty acid; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; FID, flame ionization detector; FAME, fatty acid methyl ester; GC, gas chromatography; TFA, trans fatty acid.