The objective of this research was to assess the effects of including oil-rich feedstuffs in diets for lactating goats on the fatty acid (FA) profile of their milk. Thirty-six Murciano-Granadina goats were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, namely a control diet (CTRL), a diet based on whole rapeseed (RS), and a diet based on pumpkin seed cake (PSC). The diets were composed of 1 kg hay (70 % Italian ryegrass, 30% alfalfa) and 1.24 kg concentrate, and were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous. Milk yield and its contents of protein, fat and lactose did not differ significantly among the groups. However, including oil-rich feeds in the diet altered the fatty acid profile of the milk significantly, decreasing its saturated fatty acid (SFA) content and increasing its content of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). Effects on polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and the n-6 to n-3 ratio depended on the source of dietary lipids. The PSC augmented diet increased the relative amount of PUFAs and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in milk (+25 %) significantly In comparison with CTRL, whereas the RS diet produced a limited and statistically insignificant increase (+7.5%). The concentration of CLA was higher in milk from does fed the PSC diet, whereas the n-6 to n-3 ratio was lower in milk from does fed RS. These preliminary results form the basis for developing premium dairy products that are enriched in fatty acids that are more favourable for human health.

ABSTRACT The 7-week feeding trial evaluated the effect of 2% grapeseed meal used as natural antioxidant in the diets for slow-growing Hubbard broiler chicks, aged 14 days. The chicks were weighed individually and assigned to two groups (C and E), with 40 chicks per group, housed under conditions of temperature, humidity and light regimen according to the hybrid management guide. The basal ingredients of the conventional diet were corn, wheat, gluten, soybean meal and 2% flaxseed meal, which is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Compared to the control formulation, the experimental formulation included 2% grapeseed meal, both in the growing and finishing stages. The broilers had free access to feed and water. In the end of the feeding trial, blood samples were collected for serum biochemical determinations and six broilers per group were slaughtered and samples of breast and thigh meat were collected. The meat samples were assayed for the basic chemical composition, fatty acids profile and cholesterol content using standardized methods. The content of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in breast samples, while cholesterol content was significantly lower (p<0.05) in thigh samples from E group, compared to C. Blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower (p<0.05) in group E than in group C. The study showed that the grapeseed meal used as natural antioxidant in broiler diets enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids given to Hubbard broilers had beneficial effects on broiler meat quality and on the metabolic profile of the blood plasma.

ABSTRACT The effects of dietary camelina cake (CAMC) on broiler chicks’growth performance, plasma lipid status and fatty acid profile (FA) of lymphoid organs were evaluated. Six hundred broilers (3-week-old, Cobb 500) were randomly allotted for 20 days in a feeding trials into 2 groups: control (C; corn-soybean meal-canola meal basal diet) and experimental (CAMC; 80 g CAMC/kg diet replaces canola meal from C diet). Blood samples (n=12/group) were collected on day 42 for plasma profile analysis (glucose, Glu; total cholesterol, TC; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL-C; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C; triglycerides) and immune organs (spleen, thymus, bursa of Fabricius) for FA analysis. The FA profile of lymphoid tissue was determined by gas chromatography. Feeding the CAMC diet did not influence broilers performance parameters or relative weights of lymphoid tissue, except the weight of bursa that decreased (p<0.05). Plasma lipids profile was affected by decreasing (p<0.05) the concentrations of Glu, TC, HDL-C and LDL-C in broilers fed the CAMC diet. In all lymphoid tissue, the total content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased (p<0.001) and the total level of n-6 PUFA decreased (p<0.001) as the effect of the CAMC diet. The n-6:n-3 ratio decreased (p<0.001) up to 5:1 in all lymphoid tissue. The higher (p<0.05) concentration of arachidonic acid was found in the spleen, followed by the thymus and the bursa of the chicks fed the CAMC diet. Our results indicate that feeding 80 g/kg camelina cakes in broiler chicks finisher diet had no negative impact on productivity, beneficially alter the plasma lipid status and fatty acids profile of lymphoid tissue.