Effects of different forms and origins of oilseeds on dynamics of ruminal biohydrogenation of long‐chain fatty acids in vitro

Dietary unsaturated fatty acids (FA) are intensively hydrogenated in the rumen, resulting in reduced amount of poly‐unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and accumulation of several biohydrogenation (BH) products. In this study, BH of PUFA originating from different oilseeds (linseed, soya beans, sunflower seed and rapeseed) present in crushed oilseeds or their free oils were assessed in vitro. The assay substrates were incubated in buffered rumen fluid for 0, 6, 12 and 24 h. After incubation, the FA pattern of the incubated samples was analysed using gas chromatography. Biohydrogenation is defined as disappearance of double bonds (DB) calculated from the contents of unsaturated FA. After 24‐h incubation, the DB contents of all oilseeds were reduced (p < 0.001) by 40–60%. The reduction was higher (p < 0.001) for the crushed form compared with the oil form. In addition, linseed and sunflower seed known as oilseeds with high contents of linolenic acid C18:3 c9,12,15 (LNA) and linoleic acid C18:2 c9,12 (LA), respectively, showed a higher (p < 0.001) accumulation of the BH intermediates conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, isomer C18:2 c9t11) and vaccenic acid (C18:1 t11) for the crushed form, when compared with the oil. These results suggest an inherent effect of the physical form of the assay oilseeds on in vitro BH. Changes in FA pattern during BH in vitro can be attributed to both source and physical form of the assay oilseeds. However, further investigations are warranted to ensure whether the observed in vitro effects on ruminal BH can be confirmed in vivo.     

Effects of feeding pigs increasing levels of C 18:1 trans fatty acids on fatty acid composition of backfat and intramuscular fat as well as backfat firmness.

Forty Large White pigs were fed from 30 kg to 103 kg body mass on diets supplemented with 6% of pure high-oleic sunflower oil (HO) or HO plus increasing amounts of partially hydrogenated rape seed oil (HR; 1.85%, 3.70%, 5.55%), containing high levels of delta 6 to delta 11 C 18:1 trans fatty acid isomers. Increasing dietary C 18: trans fatty acids resulted in a linear increase in C 18:1 trans fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (cis-9, trans-11 CLA) in backfat (BF) as well as in neutral lipids (NL) and phospholipids (PL) of M. long. dorsi. Thus, the rate of bioconversion of trans vaccenic acid (TVA) into CLA and incorporation of C 18:1 trans and CLA into pig adipose tissue was not limited up to 25 g total C 18:1 trans fatty acids including 3.3 g of TVA per kg feed. BF was higher in C 18:1 trans fatty acids and CLA than M. long. dorsi NL and PL. In BF and NL the sum of saturated fatty acids (SFA) increased with increasing dietary amounts of HR, while in PL SFA were reduced. Thus, according to their physical properties, C 18:1 trans fatty acids partly replaced SFA in PL. Firmness of backfat was also significantly increased (P < 0.05) with increasing amounts of HR in feed.     

Evaluation of biohydrogenation rate of canola vs. soya bean seeds as unsaturated fatty acids sources for ruminants in situ

An experiment was conducted to study disappearance of C14 to C18 fatty acids, lag times and biohydrogenation (BH) rates of C18 fatty acids of ground soya bean and canola seeds in situ. Three ruminally fistulated Dallagh sheep were used to determine ruminal BH of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). Differences in the disappearance of fatty acids through the bags and lag times were observed between the oilseeds. We saw that the longer the incubation time of the oilseeds in the rumen, the lower the content of C18:2 and C18:3. Significantly higher lag times for both C18:2 and C18:3 were observed in ground canola compared to ground soya bean. BH rates of C18:2 and C18:3 fatty acids in soya bean were three times higher than those of canola. These results suggest that the fatty acid profile of fat source can affect the BH of UFAs by rumen micro‐organisms. So that UFAs of canola had higher ability to escape from ruminal BH. It seems that fatty acid profile of ruminant products is more affected by canola seed compared to soya bean seed.     

Fatty acid composition of muscle and adipose tissue from crossbred bulls and steers

Fatty acid composition of total lipid extracts of muscle and adipose samples from crossbred bulls (N = 34) and steers (N = 35) was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Samples of semitendinosus, triceps brachii and longissimus muscle and of subcutaneous and perinephric adipose tissue were excised from the right side of each carcass. In addition, thin-layer chromatography was utilized to obtain phospholipid and triacylglycerol fractions from total lipid extracts of semitendinosus and longissimus muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue from 10 bull and steer cohorts (N = 20). The most prominent sex condition effect was in percentage of total poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Bull tissues contained higher (P less than .01) percentages of PUFA than those of steers at all sampling sites. This reflected higher percentages of linoleate (C18:2), linolenate (C18:3) and arachidonate (C20:4) in bull tissues. Most of the PUFA were present as phospholipids in muscle samples. The fatty acid composition of muscle phospholipids was similar regardless of sex condition or muscle sampled. Total lipid extracts of semitendinosus and triceps brachii muscles of both bulls and steers contained from 6 to 10% more unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) compared with M. longissimus. Muscle triacylglycerols contained relatively high percentages of saturated fatty acids (SFA). Semitendinosus and longissimus samples from steers contained higher (P less than .05 and P less than .01, respectively) percentages of total SFA than those from bulls. Steer samples contained slightly higher percentages of palmitic acid (C16:0) compared with bulls at all sampling sites, and this difference was significant for M. longissimus. The fat:lean ratio of muscle tissue is the major factor that determines fatty acid composition.     

Effect of a linseed diet or a sunflower diet on performances, fatty acid composition, lipogenic enzyme activities and stearoyl-CoA-desaturase activity in the pig

The aim of this study was to compare the influence of a high α-linolenic acid (ALA) diet (linseed diet) and a high linoleic acid (LA) diet (sunflower diet) on performances of pigs, on the dietetical quality of their tissues (adipose tissues and muscles), and on the lipogenic potential of these tissues. Growth and carcass performances, and the lipid content of the tissues were not affected by the diet. Feeding the linseed diet increased the content of n-3 PUFA and decreased the LA/ALA ratios in all the tissues, while the sunflower diet led to an increase in the n-6 PUFA contents. Neither the stearoyl-CoA-desaturase and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase activities nor the β-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase activity were affected by the diet. Acetyl-CoA-carboxylase and fatty acid synthase activities were enhanced with the linseed diet in respectively subcutaneous adipose tissue and intermuscular adipose tissue, while malic enzyme activity was decreased in liver and subcutaneous adipose tissue of pigs fed the linseed diet.     

Fatty acid profile and qualitative characteristics of meat from zebu steers fed with different oilseeds

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary addition of ground oilseed sources on the quality, fatty acid profile, and CLA content of meat from zebu steers. Thirty-one zebu steers with an initial average age of 23 mo and an initial BW of 365 kg were used in this study. The experimental period was 84 d, which was preceded by an adaption period of 28 d. The diet was provided ad libitum with a forage:concentrate ratio of 40:60. Corn silage was used as the forage source. Four different concentrates were formulated for each treatment: without additional lipids (control) or with ground soybeans (SB), ground cottonseed (CS), or ground linseed (LS). The SB, CS, and LS diets were formulated to have 6.5% ether extract on a total dietary DM basis. The experiment was set up as a completely randomized design. After slaughter, samples were taken from the longissimus thoracis muscle for the measurement of fatty acid concentration and the evaluation of meat quality. The luminosity index was greater in the control and LS diets (P < 0.01). The greatest percentages of myristic acid (C14:0), palmitic acid (C16:0), trans octadecenoic acid (C18:1 trans-10, trans-11, or trans-12), and SFA in the subcutaneous fat were observed in the CS treatment (P < 0.01). Moreover, the least percentages of oleic acid (C18:1 cis-9) and total unsaturated fatty acids in the subcutaneous fat were observed in the CS diet (P < 0.01). The meat linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid percentages were greatest in the SB and LS treatments, respectively (P < 0.001). The unsaturated fatty acid:SFA ratio was smallest for the CS diet (P < 0.01). A gradual increase in oxidation was observed as a function of storage time; however, the diets did not affect the rancidity of the meat (P > 0.05). The fatty acid profile of subcutaneous fat was impaired by the addition of CS. Supplying ground oilseeds did not increase the content of CLA in the meat.     

The fatty acid composition of muscle fat and subcutaneous adipose tissue of grazing heifers supplemented with plant oil-enriched concentrates

Our objective was to determine the effect of oil supplementation of pasture fed, beef cattle on the fatty acids, particularly CLA and PUFA, of muscle and s.c. adipose tissue. Forty-five Charolais crossbred heifers were blocked on BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 dietary regimens in a randomized complete block design (n = 15). The 3 treatments were: unsupplemented grazing (GO), restricted grazing plus a sunflower oil-enriched ration (SO), or restricted grazing plus a linseed oil-enriched ration (LO). Heifers were fed the experimental diets for approximately 158 d. Samples of LM muscle and s.c. adipose tissue were taken postmortem, the muscle fat was separated into neutral lipid and polar lipid (no separation was performed on the s.c. adipose tissue), and the fatty acid profile was determined by GLC. No effect of dietary treatment on carcass weight or total fatty acid concentration (mean 2,571 mg/100 g of muscle) in muscle fat was detected. Heifers offered SO had a greater (P < 0.001) proportion of CLA and C18:1trans-11 (1.90 and 9.35 vs. 1.35 and 6.89 g/100 g of fatty acids, respectively) in neutral lipid of muscle fat compared with those offered LO, which had a greater proportion of CLA and C18:1trans-11 than heifers offered GO (0.78 and 3.37 g/100 g of fatty acids, respectively). Similar effects were observed in the polar lipid and s.c. lipid. The PUFA:SFA ratio was greater in muscle fat and s.c. adipose tissue from supplemented heifers than in those offered GO (P < 0.001). Compared with LO, the PUFA:SFA ratio was greater (P < 0.05) in muscle fat of heifers offered SO, but there was no difference between SO and LO for this ratio in s.c. adipose tissue. The n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio was similar in muscle and s.c. adipose tissue for GO and LO, but it was greater (P < 0.05) for SO. It is concluded that supplementation of pasture-fed cattle with plant oil-enriched concentrates resulted in an increase in beef fat of some fatty acids considered to be of benefit to human health. Concentrates enriched with sunflower oil were more effective in increasing the CLA concentration, whereas linseed oil-enriched concentrates resulted in a more favorable n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio. The relevance to human health of the associated increase in C18:1trans-11 merits investigation.     

Amino acid profile of escaped feed protein after rumen incubation and their intestinal digestibility.

The crude protein content and amino acid profile of seven feedstuffs (linseed meal, maize gluten meal, rapeseed meal, rapeseed meal protected, soybean meal, fullfat soybean extruded and sunflower meal) were determined before and after ruminal incubation for 16 h in three bulls with large rumen cannulas. The intestinal disappearance of amino acids was measured using mobile bag technique. Ruminal incubation affected amino acid profile of all experimental feedstuffs. Crude protein degradation varied from 29.3% for maize gluten meal to 86.4% for rapeseed meal. A tendency towards increased disappearance was observed for glutamic acid, histidine, lysine and proline and decreased disappearance for branched-chain amino acids. The intestinal crude protein digestibility was higher than > 80%, except rapeseed meal (66.4%) and sunflower meal (77.8%). The least digestible individual amino acids were methionine and isoleucine in rapeseed meal, histidine and methionine in rapeseed meal protected and arginine in sunflower meal. In general, the lowest amino acid digestibilities were found in feedstuffs with the highest fibre content. The feedstuffs show that they have different potential for supplying of limiting amino acids. Of particular value are the feedstuffs with low crude protein degradability in the rumen and high intestinal digestibility of amino acids.     

日粮中添加整粒油籽对绵羊体脂脂肪酸组成的影响

日粮中分别添加相当于40 g粗脂肪的油菜籽(canola)、油葵籽、红花籽和亚麻籽,饲喂成年母羊35 d后屠宰,用气相色谱技术测定了背最长肌、尾部、背膘和肾脏4个部位脂肪的脂肪酸(FA)组成,结果表明:1)红花籽可显著降低肌肉中的短链、长链饱和脂肪酸及总饱和脂肪酸(SFA)的比例,而增加单不饱和脂肪酸(MUFA)和总不饱和脂肪酸(UFA)的比例,而添加油菜籽对肌肉的FA无显著影响;2)油葵显著降低了尾部短链和中链脂肪酸,提高了多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)与SFA的比值(P:S),油菜籽可显著降低尾部短链脂肪酸;3)添加亚麻籽有增加所有组织UFA和P:S值,降低SFA的趋势,但只有背膘脂肪中的PUFA显著增高;4)各类油籽对脂肪组织中的总SFA和MUFA无明显影响,其中肾脏脂肪受影响最小.     

Increasing the amount of n-3 fatty acid in meat from young Holstein bulls through nutrition

Fifty-four Holstein bulls were blocked by initial BW (301 +/- 7.4 kg) and randomly assigned to 6 treatments following a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, with 3 concentrate lipid levels (5, 8, and 11% of DM) and 2 lipid sources (whole canola seed and whole linseed), with the objective of evaluating the possibility of increasing the content of n-3 fatty acids in meat. Concentrates (mostly corn meal) were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Concentrate and straw were both fed ad libitum. Animal BW was recorded every 2 wk, and feed consumption was recorded weekly. Ruminal pH and VFA concentrations were determined monthly. Bulls were transported to the slaughterhouse when they achieved the target slaughter weight of 443 kg (after 105 +/- 4 d of fattening). After slaughter, a sample of LM from the sixth to the eighth ribs was dissected and analyzed for intramuscular fat content and fatty acid profile. Dietary lipid source did not affect overall animal performance, rumen fermentation, or carcass quality. Rumen pH was >6.0 despite consumption by the bulls of large amounts of concentrate. In bulls fed linseed, the percentage of n-3 fatty acids in LM increased linearly with lipid level, whereas in bulls fed canola seed it remained constant. The ratio of n-6:n-3 fatty acids was lower (P < 0.01) in the LM of bulls fed linseed (10.0) than in those fed canola seed (26.0). The content of cis-9, trans-11-CLA in the LM tended (P = 0.06) to be greater in the bulls fed linseed than in those fed canola seed (62.9 vs. 49.2 mg/kg of LM, respectively). Concentration of n-3 fatty acids in meat of bulls fed high-concentrate diets can be enhanced by whole linseed supplementation without affecting animal performance, ruminal fermentation, or carcass quality.     

Tissue fatty acid composition and estimated ∆ desaturase activity after castration in chicken broilers fed with linseed or sunflower oil

The aims of this study were to investigate the influence of the short‐term addition of sunflower and linseed oil and castration on fatty acid composition and desaturation indexes in chicken broilers. Forty‐eight male Ross 308 chicken broilers were supplemented with 5% of sunflower or linseed oil. The four experimental groups were linseed oil supplementation and castration (LC), linseed oil without castration (LN), sunflower oil and castration (SC) and sunflower oil without castration (SN). There was no significant influence of castration or oil supplement on live weights, weight gain, feed intake or feed conversion. Castration resulted in an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), total n3, n6, measured desaturation indexes and a decrease in the saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) content of abdominal fat. In breast muscle, castration increased PUFA and 18:3n3 values, while in the liver tissue, castration did not influence the parameters measured. Linseed oil supplementation significantly increased 18:3n3, n3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC PUFA), total n3 and decreased total n6, n6/n3 ratio, and 20:4n6 content. Values for 20:4n6 were the highest in SC and the lowest in the LC group. Linseed oil also significantly decreased ?5 and ?4 desaturation indexes in the thighs and ?5 and ?5, 6 in abdominal fat and the liver. These results suggest that short‐term supplementation of basal diet with 5% of linseed oil could significantly increase n3 LC PUFA and decrease n6/n3 ratio content in the edible tissues of chicken broilers, without adverse effects on growth performance. Meanwhile, castration only improved fatty acid profile in abdominal fat, which is not nutritionally important. The interactions observed between basal diet, supplemented oil, sex hormones and other non‐nutritional factors must be elucidated in future trials in order to correctly predict the nutritional value of linseed‐fed poultry.     

Studies on acid oils and fatty acids for chickens. II. Effect of free fatty acid content and degree of saturation of free fatty acids and neutral fat on fatty acid digestibility

1. Two experiments were designed to study the influence of free fatty acid content and degree of saturation of free fatty acids and neutral fat on digestibility of added fats and fatty acids. Sunflower oil and tallow were used as neutral fats, and palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids as free fatty acids. Fat inclusion was 80 g/kg and mixtures of each fat and each free fatty acid were prepared in the proportions 100:0, 70:30 and 40:60.

2. Experimental diets were evaluated for fat and fatty acid digestibilities with broiler chickens at 21 d of age. The metabolisable energy of fat was calculated from the product of digestibility and gross energy. Increasing concentrations of saturated free fatty acids decreased the ME of added fat, whereas unsaturated free fatty acids did not significantly affect the ME value of added fat.

3. Digestibilities of individual fatty acids were analysed by linear regression with rate of inclusion of free fatty acid in the fat blend: palmitic and stearic acids gave a negative slope, whereas oleic and linoleic acids gave a slope not statistically different from zero. Because slopes for saturated fatty acids did not differ between the sunflower oil and tallow treatments, synergism between unsaturated and saturated fatty acids was not detected.     

Dietary structured lipids for post-weaning piglets: fat digestibility, nitrogen retention and fatty acid profiles of tissues

In four groups of post-weaning piglets the effects of triacylglycerol structure and fatty acid profiles of four dietary fats on apparent faecal nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention and fatty acid profiles of platelet and erythrocyte membranes, liver, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle were examined. Dietary fats included as 10% (w/w) of the diets were two structured fats of rapeseed oil interesterified with tridecanoin (R1) or coconut oil (R2), respectively, one mixture of rapeseed oil and coconut oil (R3) and rapeseed oil as control (R4). Faeces and urine from piglets weaned at 28 days of age were collected quantitatively during three periods each of 5 days, in which the piglets were kept in metabolism cages for measurement of apparent faecal nutrient and energy digestibility and nitrogen retention. Apparent faecal fat digestibilities were significantly improved in groups fed interesterified fats or the physical mixtures (R1, R2 and R3) compared with rapeseed oil (R4). Apparent faecal nitrogen digestibility and retention were similar in all four groups in the three periods, but increased with time. Apparent faecal fat digestibilities were significantly improved from the first to the third week in the groups R1 and R2. Fatty acid profiles in platelet and erythrocyte membranes and in tissues reflected the fatty acid profile of the dietary fat, except for medium-chain fatty acids, which were only found in low proportions, indicating that 10:0 was mainly used as an energy source.     

Decrease in stearic acid proportions in adipose tissues and liver lipids in fatty liver of dairy cows

Samples of liver and perirenal, mesenteric and subcutaneous fat were collected from 16 sick necropsied dairy cows to evaluate the fatty acid profiles in the hepatic and adipose tissues associated with advanced fatty liver or hepatic lipidosis. Hepatic triglyceride and eight fatty acids were measured in the hepatic and adipose tissues. Six cows had more than 3% triglyceride on fresh weight in their livers and were classified as having fatty liver. Stearic and linoleic acid proportions in the liver decreased markedly with increased hepatic triglyceride levels, while the proportion of palmitic and oleic acids increased. The most striking fluctuations in hepatic lipidosis were manifested as decreased stearic acid in the adipose tissues including subcutaneous fat with the trend of decreasing stearic acid. Palmitic acid was elevated in hepatic and perirenal fat in fatty liver cows. In instances of advanced hepatic lipidosis, palmitoleic acid increased in only subcutaneous fat and not in perirenal or mesenteric fat. In addition to the proportions of hepatic fatty acids in fatty liver, this study also clarified the fluctuations observed in the profiles of fatty acids of the adipose tissues in cows with advanced hepatic lipidosis, particularly the decline in the proportions of stearic acid.     

Effects of Different Fat Supplements on Growth and Hepatic Lipids and Fatty Acids in Male Mink

Male mink kits (n=10 for each group) were fed diets supplemented with different fats for 12 weeks (September-November). The levels of digestible fat (8%) and energy content (7 MJ kg-1) of the diets were equal. The supplements used were beef pork fat, mink fat, broiler offal, rainbow trout offal, capelin oil, soybean oil and linseed oil. The growth and hepatic lipids (analysed by a thin-layer chromatography- flame ionization detection analyser) and fatty acid composition (analysed by gas-liquid chromatography) were studied. The pattern of weight gain of the mink fed the beef pork diet differed from that of the other mink. These kits reached high but delayed weight maxima compared with the other mink but then during November they lost weight rapidly. In liver, both the capelin oil- and linseed oil-fed mink had large concentrations of total lipids and triacylglycerols. The mink fed capelin oil were significantly heavier. The fatty acid analyses of hepatic total lipids and phospholipids revealed that the f -linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) of linseed oil was not efficiently metabolized to longer chain and more unsaturated fatty acids important for cellular membranes. It is discussed that 18:3 n-3 may not be as valuable for growing mink kits as the polyunsaturated fatty acids of the fish oils.     

Ruminal biohydrogenation of linoleoyl methionine and calcium linoleate in sheep.

Four ruminally and duodenally cannulated Hampshire wethers were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square experiment to determine whether linoleoyl methionine and calcium linoleate would increase duodenal flow of unsaturated fatty acids (C18:2 + cis C18:1). All animals received the same basal diet plus a treatment enclosed in gelatin capsules that were placed directly in the rumen. Of the four experimental treatments, one was a control (empty capsules) and three were 5 g of fatty acid equivalent as either free linoleic acid, calcium linoleate, or linoleoyl methionine. Linoleoyl methionine had the lowest ruminal disappearance of C18:2 + cis C18:1. Ruminal loss of unsaturated fatty acids from each supplement exclusive of feed unsaturated fatty acids was 69.8, 92.9, and 94.6% for linoleoyl methionine, free linoleic acid, and calcium linoleate, respectively. Duodenal flow of methionine also was higher for linoleoyl methionine than for control, free linoleic acid, or calcium linoleate (2.5, 1.7, 2.0, and 2.5 g/d, respectively). Plasma linoleic acid was higher for linoleoyl methionine than for control or free linoleic acid but was not different from calcium linoleate (22.0, 17.8, 18.9, and 20.2% of total fatty acids, respectively). Plasma methionine levels were not different among treatments. Intestinal disappearance of unsaturated fatty acids did not differ among treatments. Linoleoyl methionine resisted ruminal biohydrogenation and was digested normally in the intestine. Calcium linoleate did not escape biohydrogenation by ruminal bacteria.     

日粮中添加不同植物油对奶牛瘤胃液挥发性脂肪酸及乳脂肪酸组成的影响

以3头年龄相同、平均体重650kg左右、泌乳期相同的装有永久性瘤胃瘘管的荷斯坦奶牛为试验动物,采用3×3拉丁方设计,探讨日粮中添加脂肪酸组成不同的植物油(葵花油、胡麻油、菜籽油,日粮脂肪含量均为6.5%)对奶牛瘤胃液总挥发性脂肪酸含量动态变化的影响,以及对乳脂肪酸组成的影响。结果表明,3个试验组奶牛瘤胃液总挥发性脂肪酸(TVFA)浓度差异不显著(P0.05);葵花油组反-C18:1含量和C18:2含量显著高于胡麻油组和菜籽油组(P0.05),后两组反-C18:1含量、C18:2含量差异不显著(P0.05);葵花油组和胡麻油组的多不饱和脂肪酸(PUFA)含量差异不显著(P0.05),但均显著高于菜籽油组(P0.05);胡麻油组的饱和脂肪酸(SFA)含量显著低于其他两组(P0.05),而其他两组SFA含量差异不显著(P0.05);葵花油组的CLA含量显著高于菜籽油组(P0.05),但与胡麻油组差异不显著(P0.05),菜籽油组和胡麻油组CLA含量差异显著(P0.05)。     

Use of solid fat in dry mixed feed for rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). 2. Fatty acid composition of feed and tissue lipids

The effect of supplemental dietary fat on the fatty acid composition of some tissue lipids of rainbow trout fingerlings was studied. Data showed that dietary fatty acids were deposited nearly unchanged in the adipose tissue. The level of eicosapentaenoic acid, however, dropped significantly. Muscle showed remarkable capacity for deposition of dietary fat, while only minor changes were observed in the fatty acid composition of liver lipids. Levels of some polyenoic acid (e.g. 18: 2 omega 6, 20:4 omega 6, 20:5 omega 3, 22:6 omega 3) showed, that the fish converted lower unsaturated fatty acids to highly unsaturated fatty acids. It was observed that dietary acids had little effect on the fatty acid composition of tissue phospholipids. This result shows, that 17% fat in the diet are tolerated by trout, without alterations in the fat composition of the liver tissue. Probably the low rearing temperature (11 degrees C) had a more pronounced effect on the fatty acid composition of phospholipids than the diet.     

Identification of COX inhibitors in the hexane extract of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds

Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seed extract inhibits the activity of cyclooxygenase (COX), but its active constituents have not been identified. In the present study, COX inhibitors were isolated from the hexane extract of this seed by means of 4 steps of liquid chromatography and were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. The COX inhibitors in the extract of Japanese horse chestnut seeds were identified as linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid. Their efficacies were in the following order: linolenic acid = linoleic acid > oleic acid. These active constituents are C18 unsaturated fatty acids; stearic acid, a C18 saturated fatty acid, had no activity. Linolenic acid and linoleic acid had high selectivity toward COX-2 (selectivity index = 10), whereas oleic acid had no selectivity. Considering the efficacy and yield of each fatty acid, linoleic acid may be the principal COX inhibitor in this seed.     

Influence of dietary linseed, fish and coconut oil on growth performance of growing pigs kept on small holdings in central Vietnam

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect on growth performance of the addition of 5% of either linseed, fish or coconut oil to the diet of growing pigs kept on small holdings in central Vietnam. The diets were fed on six different farms; there were three animals per treatment per farm. The farmers fed a base diet according to personal choice, but were instructed to use linseed, fish and coconut oil. The diets were fed to the pigs from 70 to 130 days of age. The diets with 5% linseed oil on average contained 2.4 g alpha-linolenic acid/MJ of metabolizable energy (ME) and the diets with 5% fish oil on average contained 0.06 and 0.75 g eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid/MJ ME, respectively. The relative percentages of docosahexaenoic, eicosapentaenoic, alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid in adipose tissue were determined by the intake of the corresponding fatty acids. Dietary linseed oil vs. coconut oil significantly enhanced daily weight gain and vs. fish oil it also stimulated growth, but this effect just failed to reach statistical significance. It is concluded that extra intake of alpha-linolenic acid may stimulate growth in growing-finishing pigs, this effect being independent of the conversion of alpha-linolenic acid into eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid.