Influence of n-3 fatty acid-enriched calcium salt supplementation on ewe milk and suckling lamb meat quality.

Lamb meat is poor in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFA-enriched fat sources may be an effective strategy to improve nutritional quality. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of supplementing lactating ewe diets with n-3 PUFA provided in the form of calcium salts containing linseed oil alone or a combination of linseed and fish fatty acids on animal performance, the fatty acid (FA) profile of milk, and the intramuscular FA composition of their lambs. Thirty-six Churra ewes bearing single lambs were assigned to one of three diets (twelve ewes per treatment), and their newborn lambs (twelve male lambs per treatment) were fed exclusively by suckling. All diets consisted of an isoenergetic total mixed ration containing 29.9 g/kg DM calcium salts of palm (CTRL), linseed (CaS-LO), or a mixture of fish fatty acids and linseed (CaS-LF) oils. The inclusion of n-3 PUFA-enriched calcium salts in ewe diets tended to reduce milk fat content; however, no differences were observed in suckling lamb performance or carcass characteristics. The FA profiles of the ewe milk were substantially modified by the CaS-LO and CaS-LF diets, with these changes affecting the muscle tissue FA profile of their suckling lambs. Both the CaS-LO and CaS-LF diets increased the proportion of 18:3 n-3 in lamb intramuscular fat by 1.6-fold and 1.4-fold, respectively, compared with the CTRL diet. Furthermore, compared with the CTRL diet, the CaS-LF treatment doubled the 22:6 n-3 content and increased that of 20:5 n-3 by 27.3%. The lowest n-6:n-3 ratio and the highest n-3 index value in intramuscular fat were observed in lambs from the CaS-LF group, thereby enhancing the nutritional value of this meat. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the transfer of FAs from the dam to the offspring and provides clear evidence of the effects of different calcium salts on improving the nutritional value of lamb meat to more closely meet guidelines on consumer health.