Influencia de la alimentación y de la lactancia sobre el contenido en vitamina E y ácidos grasos de la carne de corderos ligeros

Abstract

This study determined whether the vitamin E and fatty acid profile content of L. dorsi may reflect the feeding strategy in light lambs (22-24 kg). Thirty-two single Rasa Aragonesa lambs were assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial design. The factors were the inclusion of forage in the diet (alfalfa grazing vs. concentrate-fed indoors) and lactation length (weaning at 13 kg vs. suckling until slaughter). The effect of the inclusion of forage in the diet was significant on α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol contents and on FA profile while the effect of weaning was less clear. Lambs from grazing treatments presented greater contents of α-tocopherol and MUFA, CLA and lower γ-tocopherol and PUFA n-6/n-3 (P<0.05), regardless of weaning status. Weaning did not have effect on vitamin E contents (P>0.05), whereas increased the PUFA (P<0.05) and decreased SFA and CLA contents (P<0.05). Grazing dams and their lambs affected positively α-tocopherol and γ- tocopherol contents and improved the FA profile of intramuscular fat from a human health of point of view.