Factors affecting the polyunsaturated fatty acid content of the plasma lipids of sheep

Abstract

1. In Expt 1, four adult wether sheep were given diets of hay or dried grass in an alternating sequence of feeding treatments. Each treatment period lasted for 20 days and blood samples were taken from the sheep on the last day of each period. When the diet of hay (linoleic: linolenic acid ratio 1.40) was replaced by one of dried grass (linoleic: linolenic acid ratio 0.28), there was an increase in the concentration of linolenic acid and a decrease in the concentration of linoleic acid in the plasma cholesteryl esters and phospholipids. There was an increase in the concentration of stearic acid and a decrease in the concentration of palmitic acid in the plasma triglycerides. Dietary change did not affect the composition of the plasma unesterified fatty acids.2. In Expt 2, two adult wether sheep, each with a rumen fistula, were given daily intraruminal infusions of 60 g of ‘linolenic’ or ‘linoleic’ acids (both about 70% pure) over a period of 5 days. The infusion treatments were then reversed. Blood samples were taken at the end of each infusion period. Intraruminal infusions of ‘linolenic’ acid increased the concentration of linolenic acid in the plasma cholesteryl esters and phospholipids and increased the concentration of stearic acid in the plasma triglycerides. The infusions of ‘linoleic’ acid increased the concentration of linoleic acid in the plasma cholesteryl esters and phospholipids. No appreciable changes were observed in the composition of the plasma unesterified fatty acids.