Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Chemical and fatty acid composition of male mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon Pal.) meat

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Wildlife Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of age on chemical and fatty acid composition of the male mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon Pal.) meat. The male mouflons included in the study originated from the North Adriatic island Rab, Croatia. Three age groups were included (young, sub-adult, adult). An effect of age on chemical composition was not found. However, higher percentage of total fat, dry matter and ash was determined in the meat of young mouflons. Predominating saturated fatty acids in mouflon meat were myristic, palmitic and stearic acids. Age significantly (p < 0.05) affected only the percentage of palmitic acid being the highest in the meat of young mouflons. Percentage of the predominant monounsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid, did not change significantly with age. A higher (p < 0.05) percentage of the predominant polyunsaturated fatty acid, linoleic acid, was found in the meat of sub-adult mouflons. The meat of the young mouflons had a higher (p < 0.05) percentage of conjugated linoleic acid. The meat of the sub-adult and adult mouflons was found to have a higher (p < 0.05) percentage of total saturated fatty acids. A lower (p < 0.05) ratio of polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids was found in the meat of young than in the meat of sub-adult mouflons. The ratio of n-6 and n-3 was lower (p < 0.05) in the adult than in the sub-adult mouflons. Higher (p < 0.05) atherogenicity and thrombogenicity indices were found in the young rather than in the adult mouflons. Low fat content (<1 %) and favourable ratios of polyunsaturated, saturated, n-6 and n-3 fatty acids make the mouflon meat a good choice for human diet.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aidoo KE, Haworth RJP (1995) Nutritional and chemical composition of farmed venison. J Hum Nutr Diet 8:441–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bartos L, Siler J (1993) Survey of game farming in Europe. FAO, Rome, p 61

    Google Scholar 

  • Crawford MA, Gale MM, Woodford MH, Casped NM (1970) Comparative studies on fatty acid composition of wild and domestic meats. Int J Biochem 1(3):257–384

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Enser M, Hallett KG, Hewett B, Fursey GAJ, Wood JD (1996) Fatty acid content and composition of English beef, lamb and pork retail. Meat Sci 44:443–458

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia PT, Pensel NA, Sancho AM, Latimori NJ, Kloster AM, Amigone MA, Casal JJ (2007) Beef lipids in relation to animal breed and nutrition in Argentina. Meat Sci 79(3):500–508

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grubešić M, Krapinec K (2000) The distribution of mouflons (Ovis ammon musimon Pal.) in the Republic of Croatia. In: Proceedings 3rd International Symposium of Mouflon, Sopron, Hungary, 27–29 August 2000, pp162–168

  • Higgs J (2000) The changing nature of red meat: 20 years of improving nutritional quality. Trends Food Sci Tech 11:85–95

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman LC, Wiklund E (2006) Game and venison—meat for the modern consumer. Meat Sci 74:197–208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman LC, Kroucamp M, Manley M (2007) Meat quality characteristics of springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis). 3: fatty acid composition as influenced by age, gender and production region. Meat Sci 76:768–773

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huerta-Leidenz NO, Cross HR, Savell JW, Lunt DK, Baker JF, Smith SB (1996) Fatty acid composition of subcutaneous adipose tissue from male calves at different stages of growth. J Anim Sci 74:1256–1264

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • ISO (1997) ISO 1442:1997 Meat and meat products—determination of moisture content. ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO (1998) ISO 936:1998 Meat and meat products—determination of ash content (modified). ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO (1999) ISO 1443:1999 Meat and meat products—determination of total fat content (modified). ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • ISO (2003) ISO 8968-2:2003 Meat and meat products—determination of nitrogen content. ISO, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • Krapinec K (2005) Mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon PALLAS, 1811) diet in the Eu-Mediterranean zone of the northern Adriatic Sea. Dissertation, University of Zagreb

  • Krapinec K, Grubešić M, Vukelić J (2003) Die Hegebesonderheiten des Muffelwildes auf der Insel Rab in Kroatien. Beitr zur Jagd- und Wildforschung 28:123–133

    Google Scholar 

  • MacRae J, O'Reilly L, Morgan P (2005) Desirable characteristics of animal products from a human health perspective. Livest Prod Sci 94:95–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montgelard C, Nguyen TC, Dubray D (1994) Genetic variability in French population of the Corsican mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon): analysis of 2 blood proteins and red-cell blood groups. Genet Sel Evol 26:303–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nürnberg K, Wegner J, Ender K (1998) Factors influencing fat composition in muscle and adipose tissue of farm animals. Livest Prod Sci 56:145–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nürnberg K, Ender B, Papstein HJ, Wegner J, Ender K, Nürnberg G (1999) Effects of growth and breed on fatty acid composition of the muscle lipid in cattle. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch 208:332–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia (2005) No. 140

  • Official Gazette of the Republic of Croatia (2009) No. 75 & 150

  • Onyango CA, Izumimoto M, Kutima PM (1998) Comparison of some physical and chemical properties of selected game meats. Meat Sci 49(1):117–125

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Polak T, Rajar A, Gašperlin L, Žlender B (2008) Cholesterol concentration and fatty acid profile of red deer (Cervus elaphus) meat. Meat Sci 80:864–869

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Robelin J (1986) Growth of adipose tissue in cattle; partitioning between depots, chemical composition and cellularity. Rev Livest Prod Sci 14:349–364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rowe A, Macedo FAF, Visentainer JV, Souza NE, Matsuhita M (1999) Muscle composition and fatty acid profile in lambs fattened in drylot or pasture. Meat Sci 54(4):238–288

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS (2008) The Statistical Analysis System, version 9.02. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Scollan N, Hocquette JF, Nürnberg K, Dannenberger D, Richardson I, Moloney A (2006) Innovations in beef production systems that enhance the nutritional and health value of beef lipids and their relationship with meat quality. Meat Sci 74:17–33

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sen AR, Santra A, Karim SA (2004) Carcass yield, composition and meat quality attributes of sheep and goat under semiarid conditions. Meat Sci 66:757–763

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ulbricht TLV, Southgate DAT (1991) Coronary heart disease: seven dietary factors. Lancet 338:985–992

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vacca GM, Carcangiu V, Dettori ML, Pazzola M, Mura MC, Luridiana S, Tilloca G (2008) Productive performance and meat quality of Mouflon x Sarda and Sarda x Sarda suckling lambs. Meat Sci 8:326–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Volpelli LA, Valusso R, Morgante M, Pittia P, Piasentier E (2003) Meat quality in male fallow deer (Dama dama): effects of age and supplementary feeding. Meat Sci 65:555–652

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whetsell MS, Rayburn EB, Lozier JD (2003) Human health effects of fatty acids in beef. A report on Pasture-based Beef Systems for Appalachia. West Virginia University, Morgantown

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiklund E, Pickova J, Samples S, Lundström K (2001) Fatty acid composition of M. longissimus lumborum, ultimate pH values and carcass parameters in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L) grazed on natural pasture or fed a commercial feed mixture. Meat Sci 58:293–298

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wood JD, Richardson RI, Nute GR, Fisher AV, Campo MM, Kasapidou E, Sheard PR, Enser M (2003) Effects of fatty acids on meat quality: a review. Meat Sci 66:21–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Nikolina Kelava Ugarković

  2. Department of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska 25, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Damir Ugarković

Authors
  1. Nikolina Kelava Ugarković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Damir Ugarković
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nikolina Kelava Ugarković.

Additional information

Communicated by H. Kierdorf

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kelava Ugarković, N., Ugarković, D. Chemical and fatty acid composition of male mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon Pal.) meat. Eur J Wildl Res 59, 469–475 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-013-0691-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-013-0691-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation