The effect of linseed oil supplementation on performance, fatty acid composition and oxidative status of rabbits

Trebušak, Tina (author), Levart, Alenka (author), Voljč, Mojca (author), Tomažin, Urška (author), Pirman, Tatjana (author)

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of linseed oil supplementation on performance, fatty acid composition and oxidative status of rabbits. Twelve male SIKA rabbits were divided into two groups. The control group (n = 4) received commercial diet and the linseed group (n = 8) received commercial diet containing 9% of linseed oil, which was sprayed onto the pellet. Rabbits were slaughtered at 115 days of age, 52 dazs after the start of the experiment. Live weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency were recorded. The fatty acid composition of muscle, adipose tissue and liver was determined by the in situ transesterification method and gas chromatography-flame ionisation detection (GC-FID). In order to evaluate the oxidative status of rabbits, the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in plasma, liver and muscle were measured. The results show that it is possible to enhance proportion of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in rabbit's muscle, adipose tissue and liver by adding linseed oil in the diet without detrimental effect on productive performance. Linseed oil addition improved fatty acid composition in all tissues by increased PUFA proportion and decreased proportion of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid. Linseed oil also reduced n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio in all tissues. However, linseed oil addition led to significantly higher MDA concentrations in plasma, liver and muscle. Since PUFA are highlz susceptible to oxidation, further research is needed to focus on protecting animal and their products from lipid oxidation by adding various natural antioxidants to the diet.

• Language: English
• Keywords: rabbits, animal nutrition, feed additives, linseed oil, fatty acid composition, oxidative status, performance
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Year: 2011
• Number of pages: Str. 119-125
• Numbering: Letn. 98, št. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-17707
• UDC: 636.92.084/.087
• ISSN on article: 1581-9175
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2982792
• Publication date in RUL: 11.07.2014

TREBUŠAK, Tina, LEVART, Alenka, VOLJČ, Mojca, TOMAŽIN, Urška and PIRMAN, Tatjana, 2011, The effect of linseed oil supplementation on performance, fatty acid composition and oxidative status of rabbits. Acta agriculturae Slovenica [online]. 2011. Vol. 98, no. 2, p. 119–125. [Accessed 5 April 2025]. Retrieved from: http://aas.bf.uni-lj.si/zootehnika/98-2011/PDF/98-2011-2-119-125.pdf

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta agriculturae Slovenica
• Shortened title: Acta agric. Slov.
• Publisher: Biotehniška fakulteta
• ISSN: 1581-9175
• COBISS.SI-ID: 213840640

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian

Abstract

V poskusu smo preučevali vpliv dodatka lanenega olja v krmo na proizvodne lastnosti, maščobnokislinsko sestavo in oksidacijski status kuncev. Dvanajst kuncev slovenske mesne linije SIKA smo razdelili v dve skupini. Kontrolna skupina (n = 4) je uživala standardno krmo, poskusna skupina (n = 8) pa standardno krmo z dodatkom 9 % lanenega olja, ki smo ga nanesli na pelete. Kunce smo zaklali pri starosti 115 dni, 52 dni po začetku poskusa. V času poskusa smo zapisovali maso živali, prirast, zauživanje in izkoristek krme. Maščobnokislinsko sestavo mišic, maščobnega tkiva in jeter smo določili z in situ transesterifikacijo in kapilarno plinsko kromatografijo. Za določitev oksidacijskega statusa kuncev smo izmerili koncentracijo malondialdehida (MDA) v plazmi, jetrih in mišici. Rezultati so pokazali, da lahko z dodatkom lanenega olja v krmo kuncev povečamo dele n-3 večkrat nenasičenih maščobnih kislin (VNMK) v mišici, maščobnem tkivu in jetrih brez negativnih učinkov na proizvodne lastnosti. Dodatek lanenega olja je izboljšal maščobnokislinsko sestavo s povečanjem deleža VNMK in zmanjšanjem deleža nasičenih in enkrat nenasičenih maščobnih kislin, kar je znižalo tudi razmerje n-6/n-3 VNMK v vseh tkivih. Dodatek lanenega olja je značilno povečal koncentracijo MDA v plazmi, jetrih in mišici. Ker so VNMK zelo podvrene oksidaciji, so potrebne nadaljnje raziskave, v katerih se bo potrebno osredotočiti na zaščito živali in njihovih produktov pred lipidno oksidacijo z dodajanjem različnih naravnih antioksidantov v krmo.

• Keywords: kinci, prehrana živali, krmni dodatki, laneno olje, maščobnokislinska sestava, oksidacijski status, proizvodne lastnosti