Effect of level of linseed on fatty acid composition of muscles and adipose tissues of lambs with emphasis on trans fatty acids

The effects of linseed content in concentrates on the fatty acid (FA) composition of adipose tissues and muscles of lambs were studied in a 2 × 4 design: males (M) vs. females (F) and linseed content (0%, L0, 3%, L3, 6%, L6, 9%, L9). FA proportions were determined both on a DB-wax and on a CP-Sil column in perirenal (PR), dorsal subcutaneous (SC) adipose tissue and in longissusmus dorsi muscle (IM). No effects of linseed contents in the diet on growth performances either in male or female lambs were observed. Linseed supplementation tended to decrease the fatness score. The proportion of linolenic acid increased linearly with the linseed content in the diet, from: 0.6, 0.5, and 0.5% for L0 to 1.9, 1.6, and 1.3% for L9, in PR, SC and IM, respectively. The increase in n − 3 PUFA and in total PUFA was similar to that of linolenic acid. The n − 6:n − 3 ratio decreased from 5.7, 5.3 and 5.8 for L0 to 1.8, 1.7 and 2.7 for L9, in PR, SC and IM, respectively. There was no change in the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid with linseed supplementation. The proportions of C18:1trans-10 and C18:1trans-11 did not vary in PR, SC and IM with linseed supplementation. The total proportion of trans-octadecenoic acid was high in each tissue type and group of lambs. C18:1trans-10 represented about half of the total trans-octadecenoic isomers. With an increase in linolenic acid, most cis- and trans-octadecenoic isomers also increased, but trans-10 and trans-11 isomers did not and cis-9 and cis-11 isomers decreased. With linseed supplementation there was a decrease in the Δ9 desaturase indices in SC.