Preliminary Estimation of Nutritional Quality of the Meat, Liver, and Fat of the Indigenous Yakutian Cattle Based on Their Fatty Acid Profiles

The Yakutian cattle is an indigenous Siberian cattle breed living in an extremely cold climate in some parts of Yakutia. There are only a few thousand animals of this breed, and the conservation of the Yakutian cattle is embedded in the international agenda. We studied the fatty acid profiles in the meat, liver, and fat of the Yakutian cattle (five individuals) of different ages and their main food resource-pasture plants. The fatty acid profile of the tissues of the Yakutian cattle differed from that of pasture plants: 16:0, 18:2n-6, and 18:3n-3 dominated in the pasture plants; 16:0, 18:0, 18:1n-9, 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, and 22:5n-3 dominated in the meat and liver; and 16:0, 18:0, and 18:1n-9 dominated in the fat. The fatty acid composition of food products is related to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The meat and liver of the Yakutian cattle are health food products that contribute to decreasing the risk of developing CVD because of their rather high content of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic fatty acids, optimal n-6/n-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ratios, low values of indexes of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity, and high values of hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic and health-promoting indexes. The results of the present study support the importance of preserving this valuable cattle breed. Actions should be taken to increase their population while retaining their contemporary housing and feeding conditions.

Automated summary

This study investigated the fatty acid profiles of Yakutian cattle meat, liver, and fat, as well as their main food resource – pasture plants. The fatty acid profiles of Yakutian cattle tissues differed from that of pasture plants, and their meat and liver were found to be beneficial for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease due to their high content of certain fatty acids. The preservation of this valuable cattle breed is therefore important.