Fatty acid composition of muscle and internal fat depots of organic and conventional Payoya goat kids

Abstract

Interest in the preservation of autochthonous breeds such as the Payoya goat (dairy breed), raised using extensive or semi-extensive grazing, has also recently increased among Spanish farmers. A study of the possibilities of transformation to organic production needs to analyze the quality of their products, specially the suckled kids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fatty acid (FA) composition of Payoya goat kids under organic and conventional grazing–based management system. Forty-eight goat kids were selected (12 males and 12 females from each management system). The FA profile was determined in the Longissimus thoracis muscle, kidney and pelvic fat. Few gender differences were observed in the muscle and in the fat depots. The ratios of C14:0, C18:1 trans-11-(VA), and several n-3 FA were higher in organic kid meat than in conventionally reared kid meat. Conventional kid fat depots have presented higher percentage of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), lower CLA desaturase index, lower percentage of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty-acid (PUFA) and, consequently, higher n6:n3 PUFA ratio than organic kids. In conclusion, significant differences were found only in some FA percentages of muscle and adipose tissues of suckling kids raised in organic and conventional livestock production systems, probably due because the dams, in both experimental farms, were raised with similar semi-extensive system based on the grazing of natural pastures. Due to this reason, conventional grazing–based management farms could easily be transformed into organic production facilities.

Fatty acid composition of muscle and adipose tissues of organic and conventional Blanca Andaluza suckling kids

“…Nevertheless, World Health Organization has changed its recommendation from 5-10 ( WHO, 1995) to conclude recently that there is no rational for a specific recommendation for n-6 to n-3 ratio, if intakes of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids lie within the recommendation established (WHO, 2010). In the present study, the n-6 PUFA:n-3 PUFA ratio was lower than those reported in other studies on goats (Todaro et al, 2004;Sanz Sampelayo et al, 2006;Nudda et al, 2008), but was comparable to those reported for the fat depots and muscles of grazing goats (Bas et al, 2005;Horcada et al, 2012;De la Vega et al, 2013). Also, organic kid meat and specially the fat depots displayed higher percentages of several n-3 FA than conventionally reared meat, in agreement with a study of goats under similar grazing based system (De la , which might be a consequence of high pasture intake by organically managed dams due to reduced feedstuff supplementation.…”

“…Also and except for fat depots, in this study there were no significant differences between the atherogenicity index in goat kid from organic or conventional managed dams. In addition, the atherogenicity index values for both groups were similar to those observed by De la Vega et al (2013), but lower than those reported in milk of sheep fed Mediterranean forages (Addis et al, 2005). The low fat content and FA prof ile (especially the PUFA content and the n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio) of meat from kids reared in both production systems indicates the beneficial characteristics of this meat with respect to human health.…”

“…Actually, during the suckling phase, when goat kids are functionally non-ruminants, no ruminal biohydrogenation of the milk FA occurs prior to absorption by the intestine; thus, differences in the meat FA profile reflects the FA profile of the suckled milk (Sanz Sampelayo et al, 2006;Nudda et al, 2008). The largest percentages of FA (C16:0, C18:0 and C18:1 n-9 cis) in goat kid muscle tissue and fat depots were in the range of those reported for unweaned ruminants (Mahgoub et al, 2002;Todaro et al, 2004;Santos et al, 2007;Nudda et al, 2008;Horcada et al, 2012;De la Vega et al, 2013) and weaned ruminants (Bas et al, 2005) and were also similar to those reported for other red-meat animal species (Banskalieva et al, 2000). Differences in FA composition between various sites and fat depots in the body of farm animals have been shown.…”

“…Also was similar than that reported by De La in muscle and adipose tissues of Payoya suckling kids raised in organic and conventional livestock production systems, but was lower than that reported in intramuscular fat depot by Horcada et al (2012) in the same breed; however, the authors of this study did not specify in detail the feeding management, especially with regard to food supplemented, which would be important to explain the differences found. Although grazing animals on grass pasture have higher CLA concentrations in their milk (Pajor et al, 2009) and meat (Talpur et al, 2008), compared to non or low grazing animals; the feeding on Mediterranean shrublands or a diet containing tannins did not increase the milk (Tsiplakou et al, 2006;Mancilla-Leytón et al, 2013;DelgadoPertíñez et al, 2013) and meat (Vasta et al, 2007;De la Vega et al, 2013) CLA contents. This result could be due to effects of tannins on ruminal biohydrogenation (Vasta et al, 2010) and although goat kids were fed exclusively by suckling, could explain the lack of effect showed in the present study on meat.…”

“…Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), especially those of the n-3 series, are recognized for their positive effects on the cardiovascular system and their ability to prevent cancer (MacRae et al, 2005). Although gender effects on the FA content of goat meat and fat depots have been studied (Mahgoub et al, 2002;Todaro et al, 2004;Santos et al, 2007;Nudda et al, 2008;De la Vega et al, 2013), there is little information about the FA composition of muscle and internal fat depots of goat kids under organic grazing-based management systems. In this respect and according to , significant differences were found only in some FA percentages of muscle and adipose tissues of Payoya suckling kids raised in organic and conventional livestock production systems.…”