Effect of diets rich in N-3 polyunsatured fatty acids on muscle lipids and fatty acids in Belgian Blue double-muscled young bulls

The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of duration and time of feeding n-3 fatty acids on the fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat and adipose tissue of bulls at slaughter. Four groups of bulls were given during three periods different diets, mainly differing in the presence of linseed as the predominant n-3 fatty acid source in the concentrate either or not in combination with grass ( silage) as the roughage. The results show that the fatty acid composition of the feed during the earlier periods of life of the animal were important and influenced the final intramuscular fatty acid composition. Feeding n-3 PUFA during the phases before the finishing diet increased the long chain n-3 PUFA (C20: 5n-3, C22: 5n-3 and C22: 6n-3) compared to animals which were fed only a C18: 3n-3 rich concentrate in the finishing period. The cis-9, trans-11 CLA content was increased by feeding linseed in the fattening period and was mainly deposited in the triacylglycerol fraction of the intramuscular fat.