Influence of the farming method on the fatty acid content of meat

The influence of the farming method on the fatty acid composition in the meat of 132 lambs of 6-8 months of ages was studied to obtain information on the nutrition-physiological value of the meat Fat for humans. Half of the number of the animals had been kept at pasture until the sixth month; they had received no additional feed. The remaining lambs, at the age of six weeks, had been kept in stalls and fed hay plus a concentrate; 20 of them were slaughtered after 10 weeks and 31 after 6 weeks. Those at pasture remained there until the date of slaughter. The fatty acid composition of the feed has been found to influence the fatty acid composition of the meat. The concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids were increased due to the green fodder (4.9 % after extensive management, 3.5 % after medium extensive management). The ratio of omega-6/omega-3 of 1.7 (extensive) and 3.3 (medium extensive) also demonstrates the better nutritive value of the meat of animals kept at pasture (extensive). These results have been confirmed by studies on cattle. The nutritive value of the meat fat after green fodder is rated higher than that of meat fat after extensive management.