Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-cfpbc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T07:22:10.757Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Lipid composition and metabolism of subcutaneous fat in sheep divergently selected for carcass lean content

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

N. D. Cameron ,
S. C. Bishop ,
B. K. Speake ,
J. Bracken  and
R. C. Noble
N. D. Cameron
Affiliation:
AFRC Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS
S. C. Bishop
Affiliation:
AFRC Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS
B. K. Speake
Affiliation:
Biochemical Sciences Department, Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW
J. Bracken
Affiliation:
AFRC Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS
R. C. Noble
Affiliation:
Biochemical Sciences Department, Scottish Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW
Get access

Abstract

Fatty acid synthetase and lipoprotein lipase activities, lipid content of adipose tissue and the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat, sampled by biopsy at the 13th rib, were measured in 20-week-old rams from lines of Texel-Oxford (TO) and Scottish Blackface (SB) sheep, both divergently selected for carcass lean content. A total of 150 animals were measured, with close to equal numbers of animals per selection line-breed combination.

In both breeds, the high (lean) selection lines had significantly lower backfat depths (TO : 0·5 mm and SB : 0·6 mm, s.e.d. 0·2) than the low (fat) lines. The lipid content of subcutaneous fat was 65 mg lipid per g fat tissue wet weight (s.e.d. 24) greater in TO rams than in SB rams. The TO low line had a higher lipid content than the high selection line (426 v. 448 (s.e.d. 36)) and although the SB selection lines did not differ, the selection line with breed interaction was not significant. SB rams had higher fatty acid synthetase activity (3·1 v. 2·6 (s.e.d. 0·3) on a log scale) but there were no differences between selection lines. Lipoprotein lipase activities were similar between breeds and selection lines. The lower concentration of myristic acid (C14:0) of TO rams compared with SB rams (0·9 (s.e.d. 0·3)) was the only breed or selection line difference which was statistically significant for fatty acid composition of subcutaneous fat.

Lipid content of subcutaneous fat and lipoprotein lipase activity were highly correlated and both were positively correlated with performance test traits, especially with backfat depth. The correlation between backfat depth and fatty acid synthetase activity was not different from zero. Performance test traits, lipid content of subcutaneous fat and lipoprotein lipase activity were positively correlated with the unsaturated fatty acids, with the exception of C18 :1 when correlations were negative.

Keywords

fatty acidsfatty acid synthetaselipoprotein lipaseselectionsheep.
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 58 , Issue 2 , April 1994 , pp. 237 - 242
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bishop, S. C. 1993. Selection for predicted carcass lean content in Scottish Blackface sheep. Animal Production 56: 379–386.Google Scholar
Cameron, N. D. 1992. Correlated responses in slaughter and carcass traits of crossbred progeny to selection for carcass lean content in sheep. Animal Production 54: 379–388.Google Scholar
Cameron, N. D. and Bracken, J. 1992. Selection for carcass lean content in a terminal sire breed of sheep. Animal Production 54: 367–377.Google Scholar
Carey, E. M. and Dils, R. 1970. Fatty acid biosynthesis V. Purification and characterisation of fatty acid synthetase from lactating-rabbit mammary gland. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 210: 371–381.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Enser, M. 1984. The chemistry, biochemistry and nutritional importance of animal fats. In Fats in animal nutrition (ed. Wiseman, J.), pp. 23–51. Butterworth, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dransfield, E., Nute, G. R., MacDougall, D. B. and Rhodes, D. N. 1979. Effect of sire breed on eating quality of cross-bred lambs. Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture 30: 805–808.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ingle, D. L., Bauman, D. E., Mellenberger, R. W. and Johnson, D. E. 1973. Lipogenesis in the ruminant: effect of fasting and refeeding on fatty acid synthesis and enzymatic activity of sheep adipose tissue. Journal of Nutrition 103: 1479–1488.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnsson, I. D., Hathom, D. J., Wilde, R. M., Treacher, T. T. and Butler-Hogg, B. W. 1987. The effects of dose and method of administration of biosynthetic bovine somatotropin on live-weight gain, carcass composition and wool growth in young lambs. Animal Production 44: 405–414.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Dilworth, A. W., Evans, D. G. and Fisher, K. D. 1986. The effects of fat thickness and sex on pig meat quality with special reference to the problems associated with overleanness. 1. Butcher and consumer panel results. Animal Production 43: 517–533.Google Scholar
Kim, Y. S., Lee, Y. B. and Dalrymple, R. H. 1987. Effect of repartitioning agent cimaterol on growth, carcass and skeletal muscle characteristics in lambs. Journal of Animal Science 65: 1392–1399.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parkin, S. M., Walker, K., Ashby, P. and Robinson, D. S. 1980. Effects of glucose and insulin on the activation of lipoprotein lipase and on protein synthesis in rat adipose tissue. Biochemical Journal 188: 193–199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Patterson, H. D. and Thompson, R. 1971. Recovery of interblock information when block sizes are unequal. Biometrika 58: 545–554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riley, S. E. and Robinson, D. S. 1974. Studies on the assay of clearing factor lipase (lipoprotein lipase). Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 369: 371–387.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Gunn, R. G. and Doney, J. M. 1968. Components of weight loss in pregnant hill ewes during winter. Animal Production 10: 43–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simm, G. 1992. Selection for lean meat production in sheep. In Progress in sheep and goat research (ed. Speedy, A. W.), pp. 193–215. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.Google Scholar
Sinnett-Smith, P. A. and Waddington, D. 1992. Size distribution of adipocytes and variation of adipocyte number in lines of mice selected for high or low body fat. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 102A: 573–578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sinnett-Smith, P. A. and Woolliams, J. A. 1988. Genetic variations in subcutaneous adipose tissue metabolism in sheep. Animal Production 47: 263–270.Google Scholar
Sinnett-Smith, P. A. and Woolliams, J. A. 1989. Antilipogenic but not lipolytic effects of recombinant DNA-derived bovine somatotrophin treatment on ovine adipose tissue; variation with genetic type. International Journal of Biochemistry 21: 535–540.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sinnett-Smith, P. A., Woolliams, J. A., Warriss, P. D. and Enser, M. 1989. Effects of recombinant DNA-derived bovine somatotropin on growth, carcass characteristics and meat quality in lambs from three breeds. Animal Production 49: 281–289.Google Scholar
Vernon, R. G. 1980. Lipid metabolism in the adipose tissue of ruminant animals. Progress in Lipid Research 19: 23–106.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Warriss, P. D., Kestin, S. C. and Brown, S. N. 1989. The effect of beta-adrenergic agonists on carcass and meat quality in sheep. Animal Production 48: 385–392.Google Scholar
Wood, J. D. 1984. Fat deposition and the quality of fat tissue in meat animals. In Fats in animal nutrition (ed. Wiseman, J.), pp. 407–435. Butterworth, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar