Dietary influence on fatty acid characteristics of lamb carcass in relation to protein source

The aims of our study were to evaluate the effect of different protein supplements on fatty acid (FA) composition (%), profile (ratios and indices), etc. of carcass in lambs fed iso-caloric, iso-nitrogenous and equal in PDI and Ca: P ratio high-concentrate rations. Regional breed (Bulgarian Synthetic Dairy Population) lambs were fed cereal-based diets with different protein supplement - control diet with sunflower meal (SFM) or a DDGSc diet containing dried distillers’ corn grains with solubles (DDGSc). Animals were slaughtered after 87-d feedlot period. Fat tissue extracted from carcass was analyzed for FA profile. There were significantly higher (p< 0.01) performance (FBW= 38.90 vs. 35.1 kg and HCW= 5.24 vs. 4.67 kg) of DDGSc diet on lamb performance. Feeding 37.6 % (DM basis) DDGSc significantly increased the content of C18:2 (p< 0.05) but decreased n3 PUFA and total long chain n3 FA (p< 0.05) compared with control group. DDGSc increased n6 (p= 0.06), PUFA (p= 0.07) and PUFA / SFA ratio (p= 0.10), but decreased MUFA (p= 0.10). Examined relationships between ingested FA and carcass FA in slaughtered lambs shows good parity and are characterized with significant Pearson’s correlation coefficients (R> 0.56). In regards to obtained results, dietary DDGS inclusion altered the fatty acid profile and indices of lipids of lamb carcass.