Effect of dietary concentrate to forage ratio on the fatty acid composition of the meat and fat tissues of lambs

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of different forage to concentrate ratios on the quality of Guanghe lambs. Three 6-month-old healthy hybrid lambs (Dorset Sheep♂ × Small Tail Han Sheep♀) that were weaned and castrated were fed diets with different forage to concentrate ratios and slaughtered in the Guanghe County lamb production area. Samples of the biceps femoris, back longissimus muscle, and biceps and perirenal fat, subcutaneous fat, and tail fat were collected, and the type and content of fatty acids were analyzed using gas chromatography. Thirty-eight types of fatty acids were detected, of which 17 were saturated fatty acids and 21 were unsaturated fatty acids in all the tissues. The fat contents, SFA, PUFA, PUFA/SFA (P/S), PUFA of n3, PUFA of n6, linoleic acid (C18:2n6c), and α-linolenic acid (C18:3n3), were significantly higher in the lamb fed a diet with the low forage to concentrate ratio than in those fed a diet with the high forage to concentrate ratio (P<0.05). All tissues of low ratio of forage to concentrate arachidonic acid (C20:4) significantly higher than high ratio of forage to concentrate in dietary (P<0.05). A high ratio of forage to concentrate in the diet of lambs saves production costs and significantly improves and enhances the nutritional value of fatty acids than a low ratio of forage to concentrate.