Enhanced Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Contents in Muscle and Edible Organs of Australian Prime Lambs Grazing Lucerne and Cocksfoot Pastures

Abstract

The enhancement of health-beneficial omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LC-PUFA) contents in the muscle, liver, heart and kidney of Australian prime lambs through pasture grazing and supplementation with oil infused pellets was investigated. Forty-eight first-cross prime lambs were randomly assigned into a split-plot design with pasture type as the main plot effect and pellet supplementation as a sub-plot effect in a feeding trial that lasted for nine weeks. The n-3 LC-PUFA content in Longissimus dorsi muscle of all lambs was well above the 30 mg threshold for “omega-3 source” nutrition claim under the Australian Food Standards and Guidelines. Pasture type impacted the fatty acid contents in muscle, heart and kidney of prime lambs. Lambs grazing cocksfoot only had the highest 18:3n-3 (ALA) and n-3 LC-PUFA contents (67.1 mg/100g and 55.2 mg/100 g, respectively). Supplementation of pellets with or without oil infusion to grazing lambs decreased the ALA and n-3 LC-PUFA contents and increased n-6/n-3 ratio in Longissimus dorsi muscle. The fatty acid content in internal organs of grazing lambs was also affected by pellet supplementation. The liver and kidney of grazing lambs were both “good sources” (60 mg/100 g) of omega-3. The cocksfoot grass showed considerable potential for producing healthy, premium quality meat with high contents of n-3 and n-3 LC-PUFA which may consequently enhance the omega-3 intake of Australian lamb consumers.

Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Australian Prime Lambs Grazing Lucerne and Cocksfoot Pastures Are Enhanced by Supplementation with Plant Oil Infused Pellets

“…The animals, experimental design and fatty acid profiles in muscle and edible organs of pasture grazing lambs had previously been described elsewhere [10]. In brief, forty-eight White Suffolk × Corriedale first-cross, weaned prime lambs, with an average liveweight (LWT) of 38.7 ± 0.7 kg and six months of age were used in a split-plot design.…”

“…Porto) (CFP) was released in Tasmania in 1972 [9]. This grass has the potential to produce healthy, premium quality meat with high contents of n-3 PUFA and n-3 long-chain (≥C 20 ) PUFA (n-3 LC-PUFA) [10]. However, there is a scarcity of available published information on the effect of CFP on lamb performance and carcass characteristics.…”

Novel Encapsulated Calcium Butyrate Supplement Enhances On-Farm Dairy Calf Growth Performance and Body Conformation in a Pasture-Based Dairy Production System

“… DM: Dry matter; NDF: Neutral detergent fibre; ADF: Acid detergent fibre; EE: Ether extract; CP: crude protein; %TDN: total digestible nutrients, calculated as (% of DM) = 82.38 − (0.7515 × ADF [% of DM]); ME: metabolisable energy, calculated by converting %TDN to digestible energy (DE [Mcal/kg] = %TDN × 0.01 × 4.4) which was converted as ME = (DE (Mcal/kg) × 0.82) × 4.185 as per Le et al [ 21 ]. …”

The effect of perennial and annual wheat forages, fed with or without lucerne, on the fatty acid profile and oxidative status of lamb meat

“…For example, Ponnampalam, Dunshea and Warner (2020) found that omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations were enhanced in the meat of lambs supplemented with lucerne hay, when maintained on a low energy basal diet. Le et al. (2018) observed comparable α-linoleic acid (ALA) and n-3 PUFA concentrations in the meat of lambs grazing cocksfoot pastures or lucerne.…”