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Extensive analysis of milk fatty acids in two fat-tailed sheep breeds during lactation

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Abstract

The profile of fatty acids (FA) in the milk fat of two Iranian fat-tailed sheep breeds, Sanjabi and Mehraban, was compared during lactation. Eight ewes of each breed, balanced in parity and carrying one foetus, were selected before parturition. Ewes were kept separated in individual pens during the experimental period, under the same management practices and fed the same diet, in order to eliminate any confounding effects on milk FA profile. Milk was sampled at biweekly intervals up to 10 weeks of lactation, starting 2 weeks after parturition. More than 100 FA were determined in milk fat by means of gas chromatography. The milk fat of Sanjabi ewes contained more cis-9 18:1, that of Mehraban ewes was richer in 10:0, 12:0 and 14:0, and no differences were found for 16:0 and 18:0. No breed differences were found for most branched-chain FA. Mehraban ewes showed a higher presence of vaccenic and rumenic acids in their milk fat. The milk fat of Sanjabi ewes had a lower atherogenicity index and n-6/n-3 FA ratio. The contents of several FA showed time-dependent changes, so breed differences were more apparent or disappeared as lactation progressed. The milk fat of Sanjabi ewes showed a better FA profile from the human health point of view.

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Acknowledgments

The Razi University Agriculture College and the Agriculture Organization of Kermanshah (Iran) province, Mr Alejandro Salvá, and the Animal Production Department of the University of Córdoba (Spain) are gratefully acknowledged for their valuable help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

    S. Payandeh & F. Kafilzadeh

  2. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Alimentación (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, 28049, Spain

    M. Juárez, M.A. de la Fuente & A.L. Martínez Marín

  3. Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institute, Kiel, Germany

    D. Ghadimi

  4. Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, 14071, Spain

    A.L. Martínez Marín

Authors
  1. S. Payandeh
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  2. F. Kafilzadeh
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  3. M. Juárez
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  4. M.A. de la Fuente
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  5. D. Ghadimi
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  6. A.L. Martínez Marín
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Correspondence to A.L. Martínez Marín.

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The research protocol was approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Razi University.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Payandeh, S., Kafilzadeh, F., Juárez, M. et al. Extensive analysis of milk fatty acids in two fat-tailed sheep breeds during lactation. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 1613–1620 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1135-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1135-1

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