Effect of supplementation to offspring during early gestation and the growing phase with different sources of fatty acids on learning and memory ability of postweaning lambs

Published research suggests that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids affect cognitive function. Other fatty acids, such as monounsaturated, have been linked to preventing negative impacts on brain activity. This study, with its practical implications, investigated the effects of supplementing calcium salts enriched with different fatty acid profiles during early gestation and young life on lambs' cognitive behavior and memory ability. Dams were supplemented during the first 50 d of gestation with calcium salts enriched with different fatty acid profiles at 1.61% of the diet. Once the offspring were weaned, they were supplemented with calcium salts enriched in fatty acid profile diets at 1.48% of the dry matter intake during the growing phase. The effects of the diets differing in fatty acid types were evaluated on the offspring's cognitive behavior and memory ability test. Our study demonstrated that combining different fatty acids, even at different stages of life, improves cognitive function compared to animals receiving the same fatty acid source throughout the fetal and growing stages.