The impact of supplementing lambs with algae on growth, meat traits and oxidative status

D L Hopkins; E H Clayton; T A Lamb; R J van de Ven; G Refshauge; M J Kerr; K Bailes; P Lewandowski; E N Ponnampalam

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.05.016

The impact of supplementing lambs with algae on growth, meat traits and oxidative status

Meat Sci. 2014 Oct;98(2):135-41. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.05.016. Epub 2014 May 29.

Authors

D L Hopkins¹, E H Clayton², T A Lamb³, R J van de Ven⁴, G Refshauge³, M J Kerr³, K Bailes², P Lewandowski⁵, E N Ponnampalam⁶

Affiliations

¹ NSW Department of Primary Industries, Centre for Red Meat and Sheep Development, PO Box 129, Cowra, NSW 2794, Australia. Electronic address: David.Hopkins@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
² NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Pine Gully Rd, PMB, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.
³ NSW Department of Primary Industries, Centre for Red Meat and Sheep Development, PO Box 129, Cowra, NSW 2794, Australia.
⁴ NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
⁵ School of Medicine, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, VIC 3216, Australia.
⁶ Farming Systems Research, Department of Environment & Primary Industries, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia.

PMID: 24950082
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2014.05.016

Abstract

The current study examined the effect of supplementing lambs with algae. Forty, three month old lambs were allocated to receive a control ration based on oats and lupins (n=20) or the control ration with DHA-Gold™ algae (~2% of the ration, n=20). These lambs came from dams previously fed a ration based on either silage (high in omega-3) or oats and cottonseed meal (OCSM: high in omega-6) at joining (dam nutrition, DN). Lamb performance, carcase weight and GR fat content were not affected by treatment diet (control vs algae) or DN (silage vs OSCM). Health claimable omega-3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA) were significantly greater in the LL of lambs fed algae (125±6mg/100g meat) compared to those not fed algae (43±6mg/100g meat) and this effect was mediated by DN. Supplementing with algae high in DHA provides a means of improving an aspect of the health status of lamb meat.

Keywords: Algae; Colour stability; Fatty acids; Growth; Lamb; Meat quality.

MeSH terms

Animal Feed / analysis*
Animals
Body Weight
Color
Diet / veterinary
Dietary Supplements*
Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / analysis
Food Quality
Linear Models
Lipid Metabolism
Meat / analysis*
Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
Sheep, Domestic
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / analysis

Substances

Fatty Acids, Omega-3
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances