Manipulating omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in sheep: depletion of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids by feeding different grain types
R. D. Taylor A and E. H. Clayton
B *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Functional Grains Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.
B NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
Animal Production Science 63(13) 1296-1309 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN23150
Submitted: 31 January 2022 Accepted: 30 May 2023 Published: 29 June 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Plasma fatty acid profiles provide evidence of short-term feeding, while red blood cells (RBC) indicate longer-term feeding effects. Information on the rate of change in fatty acid profiles of sheep blood over time after alterations in diet is lacking. This study monitored the short- and longer-term effects of feeding grain-based diets to lambs on changes to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in blood fractions over 21 days. The data provide a guide to managing omega-3 PUFA availability for adequate tissue accretion of these fatty acids.
Aims: To determine the rate of depletion over 21 days of omega-3 PUFA in the blood fractions of sheep fed on grain-based diets.
Methods: Blood samples were taken from ewes taken off pasture and fed grain-based diets for 21 days. Fatty acid profiles in the blood plasma and RBC were used to monitor the rate of depletion of omega-3 PUFA.
Key results: Immediate changes in plasma omega-3 PUFA concentrations occurred from the first day of grain feeding. The omega-3 PUFA content declined continuously on all five grains, but with substantial differences among them. RBC omega-3 PUFA contents displayed great variation across individual sheep but depletion was not significant.
Conclusions: Plasma omega-3 PUFA depletion immediately on grain feeding indicated a lower availability for tissue accretion in growing sheep following short-term changes in diet. The lack of change in RBC omega-3 PUFA concentrations over 21 days indicated a differential accumulation of these fatty acids in this lipid depot compared with plasma, and changes in other tissues should also be examined.
Implications: The effect of these short- and long-term changes on LCn-3PUFA accumulation in meat and reproductive tissues warrants further investigation.
Keywords: blood, fatty acid, grain-fed, grain-type, lipids, omega-3 PUFA, pasture, plasma, sheep meat, reproduction.
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