Tissue turnover in ovine muscles and lipids as recorded by multiple (H, C, O, S) stable isotope ratios

Multiple stable isotope ratios (δ2H, δ13C, δ18O and δ34S) were measured in muscle, muscle lipids and lipid fractions collected from 28 lambs, subjected to a diet-switch and raised on two energy allowances (EAs), to determine tissue turnover and diet-tissue fractionation. The diet-muscle fractionations prior to the diet-switch were estimated to be −44.0‰, +1.9‰ and 0‰ for H, C and S, respectively, while the drinking water was demonstrated to be the main source of muscle O and thus δ18O variation. The diet-intra-muscular lipid fractionations prior to the diet-switch were estimated to be −172.7‰, −1.3‰ and −11.5‰ for H, C and O, respectively. The C half-lives of muscle were determined to be 75.7 and 91.6 days for animals receiving the high and low EA, respectively. Extracting temporally resolved pre-slaughter dietary information from meat by analysing bulk muscle, muscle lipids and muscle lipid fractions appeared to be not practicable due to possible incomplete turnover of lipids.