Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T07:11:54.399Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Depot fatty acids of Aberdeen Angus and Friesian cattle reared on hay and barley diets

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

W. M. F. Leat
W. M. F. Leat
Affiliation:
Biochemistry Department, Agricultural Research Council, Institute of Animal Physiology, Babraham, Cambridge, CB2 4AT
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Aberdeen Angus and Friesian cattle were reared from 4 months of age to slaughter weight at 18–24 months on either high-barley or high-hay diets. Samples of subcutaneous fat were taken by biopsy at 3 monthly intervals, and the degree of fatness of each animal was estimated ultrasonically prior to slaughter, and by visual inspection of the carcasses.

The barley-fed animals gained weight more rapidly, and fattened more quickly than the hay-fed animals with the Angus being fatter than the Friesian at the same age. The percentage stearic acid (C18:0) in subcutaneous fat decreased with age and was replaced by octadecenoic acid (C18:l) and hexadecenoic acid (C16:l), these changes being more rapid in barley-fed than in hay-fed animals. At the same degree of fatness the depot fats of the Friesians were more unsaturated than those of the Angus, and in both breeds the fatter the animal the more unsaturated was its depot fat.

In the hay-fed cattle the percentage C16:0 in subcutaneous fat increased during the last half of the experiment and at slaughter the percentage C16:0 was significantly higher, and C18:l significantly lower, in all depot fats compared with those of the barley-fed animals.

It is concluded that the fatty acid composition of bovine depot fats is modulated by the degree of fattening, and can be affected by diet.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 89 , Issue 3 , December 1977 , pp. 575 - 582
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1977

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Callow, E. H. & Searle, S. R. (1957). Comparative studies of meat (V) Factors affecting the iodine number of the fat from fatty and muscular tissues of cattle. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 48, 61–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duncan, W. R. H., Orskov, E. R. & Garton, G. A. (1972). Fatty acid composition of triglycerides of lambs fed on barley-based diets. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 31, 19A–20A.Google ScholarPubMed
Duncan, W. R. H., Orskov, E. R. & Gabton, G. A. (1976). Fatty acid composition of triglycerides of goats fed on a barley-rich diet. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 35, 89A–90A.Google ScholarPubMed
Gellhorn, A. & Benjamin, W. (1965). Lipid biosynthesis in adipose tissue during aging and in diabetes. Annals of the New York Academy of Science 131, 344–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Leat, W. M. F. (1975). Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue of Jersey Cattle during growth and development. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 85, 551–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Link, B. A., Bray, R. W., Cassens, R. G. & Kauffman, R. G. (1970). Fatty acid composition of bovine subcutaneous adipose tissue lipids during growth. Journal of Animal Science 30, 722–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McDonald, P., Edwabds, R. A. & Greenhalgh, J. F. D. (1973). Animal Nutrition, 2nd editionEdinburgh: Oliver & Boyd.Google Scholar
Pomeroy, R. M., Williams, D. R., Owen, A. C. & Scott, B. M. (1966). A comparison of the Growth of Different Types of Cattle for Beef Production. London: Royal Smithfield Club.Google Scholar