Fatty acid profiles of the plasma and follicular fluid mares fed a combination of linseed and salmon oil

Abstract

This study evaluated the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids in circulating blood and in the ovarian follicular fluid of mares, after supplementation of the diet with linseed oil. Six Mangalarga Marchador mares, weighing 397.00±31.89 kg, were kept on native pasture, and assigned to the current study. In a switch over design, mares were randomly allocated to receive 150 ml of vegetable oil daily, containing polyunsaturated fatty acids n3 (62.23 g ALA, 20.34 g LA, 2.27 g EPA, 2.32 g DHA), (n=3) or no supplementation (n=3) in two replicates. Blood and follicular fluid samples were taken on the first day (D0) and every 30 days until the end of the supplementation period (D60). After 60 days of supplementation, mares were switched across the treatments. Plasma concentrations of linolenic acid in total fatty acids were higher (P=0.006) in the supplemented compared to the control group (1.89±0.13 vs. 1.49±0.13%). There were positive correlations between plasma linoleic acid and follicular fluid arachidonic acid (P=0.0106; r 2 =0.13) and between plasma alpha linolenic acid and follicular fluid EPA (P=0.0004; r 2 =0.2544). Data indicated a low to moderate relationship between the dietary linseed-based oil supplementation studied and circulating and follicular fluid polyunsaturated fatty acids contents in mares.

Different Lengths of Diet Supplementation with 10% Flaxseed Alter the Hormonal Profile and the Follicular Fluid Fatty Acid Content of Fattening Gilts

“…The same scenario was noticed in 5 mm follicles after both 3 and 6 weeks of diet supplementation, but the levels of LA, ALA, DGLA, and AA were higher in the 3-week period than in the 6-week period. The study in mares fed flaxseed with salmon oil rich in n-3 PUFAs [48] revealed that the levels of LA, ALA, and DGLA in large follicles increased after 30 days of the diet supplementation, while 60-day supplementation resulted in the increased content of LA and AA and decreased those of ALA and DGLA to the control levels. Based on the present results, it can be assumed that adding flaxseed to the diet increases the content of SFAs (PA the most) and PUFAs (LA the most) while decreasing the content of MUFAs (OA the most) regardless of follicle size and the length of a supplemental period in fattening gilts.…”

“…Although the data on FAs in the blood and FF among species fed flaxseed is quite well known from the literature (mares- [48]; livestock-reviewed in [16]), the data on the FA composition of FF in different-sized follicles is limited. In our study, 3 weeks of diet supplementation with flaxseed altered the FA profile in the FF of small antral follicles to the levels of LA, PA, STA, OA, AA, and ALA, in descending order.…”