Fortification of diets with omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids enhances feedlot performance, intramuscular fat content, fat melting point, and carcass characteristics of Tattykeel Australian White MARGRA lambs

Abstract

Meat eating quality indices such as intramuscular fat content (IMF) and fat melting point (FMP) of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle and the feedlot performance, carcass traits, and commercial wholesale cuts of lot-fed Tattykeel Australian White (TAW) MARGRA lambs as a result of dietary fortification of the diet with omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) were evaluated. A total of 75 TAW MARGRA lambs at 6 months of age with an average liveweight of 30 ± 1.2 kg were used. The lambs were randomly allocated to the following three dietary treatments of 25 lambs each in a 47-day feeding trial using a completely randomized experimental design: (1) control diet of hay plus pellets without omega-3 oil, (2) hay plus commercial whole grain pellets (MSM) without omega-3 oil, and (3) hay plus pellets fortified with omega-3 oil. It was hypothesized that dietary supplementation with omega-3 fortified pellets will improve feedlot performance, meat-eating quality indices of IMF, FMP, and carcass characteristics. Lot-fed lambs on the MSM whole grain had the highest feed intake of 1.69 kg/day, followed by the control at 1.57 kg/day and the lowest in the omega-3 diet at 1.01 kg/day (p = 0.0001). However, the omega-3 diet had the highest average daily gain of 230 g/head/day (p = 0.0001), indicating the greatest feed efficiency since it had the best growth response with minimal feed intake. Post-slaughter evaluation of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle revealed significant treatment variations in IMF (p = 0.0001), FMP (p = 0.0001), pH (p = 0.0380), and wholesale French rack primal cut (p = 0.0001). Strong correlations (p < 0.05) between liveweight, temperature, pH, FMP, and IMF were observed. Similarly, significant correlations between carcass characteristics of total saleable meat yield, lean trim, fat trims, bones, and leg shank were evident (p < 0.05). However, there were no treatment differences in the final liveweight, GR fat depth, hot standard carcass weight, or dressing percentage. The findings indicate that feedlot performance, meat-eating quality traits such as IMF and FMP, and commercial wholesale French rack cuts can be further improved during feedlot finishing of TAW MARGRA lambs through dietary supplementation with omega-3 oils, and hence the tested hypothesis of improved meat quality attributes is partially confirmed.

Effect of Adding Omega-3 to Ration on Production and Physiological Performance of Awassi Ewes during Winter Season

“…The results of the current study agree that the decrease in the coefficient of nutritional conversion in Table (2) for the coefficients T1 and T2 with the findings of [18] which found that when lambs fed an Omega-3 diet put on the maximum weight, gaining 230 g/head/ day, compared to 224 g/head/day for lambs fed whole grain pellets (MSM) and 194 g/head/day for controls (p≤0.0390). As a result of Omega-3 intake to livestock, the higher average daily gain with lower feed intake suggests better nutrient utilization from the abomasum, either as a result of altered rumen ecology and environment that favors less bio hydrogenation and more by-pass proteins from the rumen or as a result of a higher rate of turnover of volatile fatty acid absorption [3].…”

“…During the winter, Omega 3 PUFAs act as mediators of thermogenesis [5]. Omega-3 fatty acids help maintain body temperature under environmental stress condition [18]. It is well known that dietary Omega-3 has an important role in producing eicosanoids, which regulate body temperature.…”

Daily Eicosapentaenoic Acid Infusion in IUGR Fetal Lambs Reduced Systemic Inflammation, Increased Muscle ADRβ2 Content, and Improved Myoblast Function and Muscle Growth

“…Clinical studies have shown that long-term ω-3 PUFA supplementation can increase muscle mass in healthy individuals without increasing adiposity [ 77 , 78 ] and can slow or even prevent muscle atrophy under pathological conditions [ 79 , 80 ]. Similarly, ω-3 PUFA supplementation to meat animals increased carcass weight, lean muscle yield, and size of individual meat cuts without increasing carcass fat [ 81 , 82 ]. Supplementing ω-3 PUFA-rich fish oil also preserved muscle growth rates in lambs during prolonged heat stress by circumventing systemic inflammation [ 83 , 84 ].…”