The benefits of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to human health, especially those of the n-3 series are now widely recognised. In a previous experiment (Wachira et al. 1998) supplementing diets with whole linseed or fish oil increased n-3 fatty acid levels in lamb muscle. To raise these further the whole linseed can be treated with formaldehyde to increase protection in the rumen. Dietary antioxidants such as vitamin E can control lipid oxidation but information on their effects on lamb performance and fatty acid composition is limited. The current experiments investigated the effects of different dietary PUFA sources and vitamin E levels on growth and fatty acid composition in two sheep breeds. Detailed results of the effects of vitamin E are presented in the accompanying abstract by Enser et al.
Modification of spleen phospholipid fatty acid composition by dietary fish oil and by n-3 fatty acid ethyl esters