Carotenoids and Liposoluble Vitamins in the Plasma and Tissues of Light Lambs Given Different Maternal Feedings and Fattening Concentrates

Abstract

The carotenoids and liposoluble vitamins in the plasma and tissues of the lambs under different maternal feedings and fattening concentrates was studied. During lactation, 21 lambs were housed with their dams, that received a total mixed ration (intensive); 21 ewe–lamb pairs grazed on alfalfa; and 21 pairs grazed on sainfoin. After weaning, half of the lambs in each maternal feeding group received a commercial concentrate (control) and the other half a concentrate with quebracho (Schinopsis balansae), as a source of condensed tannins, until they were slaughtered (23 kg). The analyte concentrations in the plasma of lambs at weaning reflected the content in the feedstuffs. Grazing during suckling more than doubled the contents of lutein in the liver and retinol in the tissues compared to the intensive feeding. The content of α-tocopherol in the tissues was greatest in sainfoin lambs, intermediate in alfalfa lambs, and lowest in the intensive lambs. The quebracho concentrate decreased α-tocopherol (by 41–81%) and γ-tocopherol (by 65–89%) contents in the lamb tissues. The use of the analytes in the plasma at weaning correctly classified 100% of the lambs into the maternal feeding (intensive vs. grazing (alfalfa + sainfoin)) but has to be improved in the carcass and tissues separately.

Retinol and α-Tocopherol Contents, Fat Color, and Lipid Oxidation as Traceability Tools of the Feeding System in Suckling Payoya Kids

“…Both studies found that fat from grass-fed lambs contained more retinol than fat from compound-fed lambs. Rufino-Moya et al [ 23 ] obtained the same results as previous authors [ 20 , 22 ] regarding kidney and subcutaneous fat while observing no differences in intramuscular fat. The fat retinol values in our study were higher than those obtained by Blanco et al [ 22 ] in the kidneys and subcutaneous fat of suckling lambs and by Rufino-Moya et al [ 23 ] in intramuscular fat, kidneys, and subcutaneous fat of suckling lambs that were fattened with dietary concentrates after weaning.…”

“…Rufino-Moya et al [ 23 ] obtained the same results as previous authors [ 20 , 22 ] regarding kidney and subcutaneous fat while observing no differences in intramuscular fat. The fat retinol values in our study were higher than those obtained by Blanco et al [ 22 ] in the kidneys and subcutaneous fat of suckling lambs and by Rufino-Moya et al [ 23 ] in intramuscular fat, kidneys, and subcutaneous fat of suckling lambs that were fattened with dietary concentrates after weaning. On the other hand, Osorio et al [ 60 ] stated that kids that were fed a milk replacer had higher retinol concentrations in the Longissimus dorsi muscle and in various muscles of the leg than kids that were fed natural milk.…”

“…The animals used in our experiment were very young when they were slaughtered. Studies conducted in suckling [ 20 , 22 , 23 , 60 ] and in light lambs with different types of feeding regimes [ 20 , 61 , 65 ] reported tocopherol in fat, but all the animals were older than those used in the present study.…”

“…Álvarez et al (2014) [ 20 ] used the concentrations of carotenoids, vitamin A, and vitamin E in plasma and adipose tissue, as well as fat color, as traceability parameters to distinguish animals that grazed from those fed compound diets. More recent studies carried out in lambs [ 22 , 23 ] suggested that maternal feeding can be traced by quantifying the carotenoid and tocopherol contents of meat, although this tracing was hampered when mixed diets or different indoor fattening systems were used in lambs after weaning. On the other hand, Ripoll et al [ 5 ] studied the color of meat and kidney fat as functions of the feeding system in two goat breeds (Malagueña-Murciano Granadina) and concluded that the breed had a greater influence on color than the type of lactation (natural milk vs. a milk replacer).…”

Fatty acid profile, secondary compounds and antioxidant activities in the fresh forage, hay and silage of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and sulla (Hedysarum coronarium)

“…The FA proportions of fresh sainfoin, hay and silage are in line with those reported by Lobón et al, 9 Toral et al 23 and Girard et al, 24 respectively. Previous work has reported data for the carotenoids and tocopherols in fresh sainfoin, 25,26 but not for silage or hay. Cabiddu et al 27 reported the FA profiles for fresh sulla at different stages and Priolo et al 28 reported that fresh sulla before flowering contained the most abundant C18:3 n-3, C16:0 and C18:2 n-6 contents, but no data on the FA, carotenoids, tocopherols and antioxidant activity of preserved sulla are available.…”