Long-Term Effects of Feeding Protected Sunflower Seed Supplement on the Composition of Body Fat in Growing Sheep

Abstract

Fifty-one Southdown crossbred and 37 Suffolk crossbred wether lambs were fed for 31 weeks a diet containing 6·6 % by weight linoleic acid derived from a formaldehyde-treated casein-sunflower seed supplement. Serial biopsy samples of subcutaneous fat were obtained during this time and over the following 49 weeks when no supplement was given. Samples of omental, perirenal and subcutaneous fat were obtained from 16 sheep slaughtered 17 weeks after supplementation ceased and the proportion of linoleic acid determined in all samples. Total body fat was estimated from tritiated water space on five occasions during supplementation.