Veterinary Archives, Vol. 93 No. 6, 2023.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.24099/vet.arhiv.1889
Increasing long-chain n-3 fatty acids in beef from forage-finished cattle through supplementation with the calcium salts of fish oil
Osman Kucuk
orcid.org/0000-0002-2646-2479
; Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
*
Bret William Hess
; Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors, Reno, NV, USA
Steve Paisley
; University of Wyoming, Department of Animal Science, Laramie, WY, USA
Keith Underwood
; South Dakota State University, Department of Animal Science, Brookings, SD, USA
Daniel Clark Rule
; University of Wyoming, Department of Animal Science, Laramie, WY, USA
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary fish oil Ca salts supplementation on the muscle deposition of fatty acids, with the major focus on eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acids (DHA) in beef cattle. For Experiment 1, thirty-eight grazing LowLine Angus steers were divided into three groups and supplemented either control, fish oil (FO)- or palm oil (PO)-based fatty acid Ca salts, supplemented individually in dry form. In Experiment 2, 14 Angus heifers and 14 Angus steers were fed free-choice harvested forage and supplemented either PO or FO Ca salts, delivered as a suspension within dried molasses lick tubs. Growth performances, sensory characteristics and the concentrations of EPA and DHA of the M. Longissimus thoracis (LT) were evaluated. M. Longissimus thoracis fatty acid concentrations of EPA and DHA were greater (P<0.001) for cattle fed FO; whereas C18:2 n-6 and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 were greater (P<0.001) for cattle fed PO in both experiments. Sensory evaluation of LT steaks obtained from the carcasses of the LowLine steers of Experiment 1 did not reveal any adverse effects of the FO supplementation (P≥0.2695). We conclude that supplementing FO Ca-salts to forage-fed beef cattle increases muscle deposition of EPA and DHA, with no adverse effects on flavor. Supplementing fish oil to beef cattle is a way to meet the omega fatty acid requirements of humans.
Keywords
omega-3 fatty acids; fish oil; muscle; Low-Line Angus; grazing
Hrčak ID:
314173
URI
Publication date:
15.1.2024.
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