Abstract

HORCADA-IBANEZ, Alberto et al. Effect of sex and fat depot location on fat composition of Rasa Aragonesa lambs. Agrociencia [online]. 2009, vol.43, n.8, pp.803-813. ISSN 2521-9766.

The quality of lamb fat is important in sheep carcass markets because it affects the degree of acceptance by consumers. In Spain, consumption of beef and lamb is important and young lambs are highly valued. In addition, the precocity of the female determines slaughter at younger ages than males, to avoid excessive fat. Therefore, the effect of sex and fat depot location (omental, mesenteric, kidney knob, subcutaneous, intermuscular and intramuscular) on the fatty acid composition in 30 Rasa Aragonesa lambs (15 males and 15 females) of 24 kg live weight and three months of age, were studied. Oleic, palmitic and stearic fatty acids were the main fatty acids making up the fat in all the fat depots from lambs. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the fat composition between male and female lambs, even though females had significantly more fat than males in all the fat depots considered (p<0.05). Criteria associated with sex did not affect the composition of fat. Ratio of fatty acids n-6/n-3 values were in the range of recommended average values (< 4), except for intramuscular fat, where values marginally higher were observed (5.5). The internal (omental, mesenteric and kidney knob) fat depots contained more saturated fatty acids than the edibles depots (subcutaneous, intermuscular and intramuscular) (p<0.05). Consequently, the internal fat depot was firmer than fat from the surface of the carcass. Fatty acid of intramuscular fat depot had the highest content of PUFA of all fat deposits studied.

Keywords : Fat depot; fatty acid; lamb; Rasa Aragonesa breed; sex.