FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION AND CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATION IN TISSUES OF WHITE-TAILED DEER (ODOCOILEUS-VIRGINIANUS) AS INFLUENCED BY LACTATION, AGE, AND SEASON OF THE YEAR

The purpose of this study was to determine effects of lactation, seaso n, and age on fatty acid compositions of adipose tissue (subcutaneous and perirenal), liver, and muscle (m. longissimus dorsi), and on chole sterol concentration of liver and muscle, of female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Lactation did not affect fatty acid composit ion in adipose tissue or muscle, but in liver, weight percentages of 1 8:2 were lower, and of 20:4 higher in non-lactating does. Increased ag e (fawns, yearlings, 2 and 3 + -years old) decreased 14:0, 15:0, and 1 6:0 in subcutaneous adipose tissue; decreased 14:0, 15:0, 16:1, 18:2, and increased 18:0 in perirenal adipose tissue; increased 18:1 and dec reased 18:2 in liver; and increased 18:1, 18:3, and 20:4, and decrease d 18:2 in muscle. Season of the year had little effect on adipose tiss ue and muscle fatty acids. Liver of fall season does had greater conce ntrations of most fatty acids than winter does, and cholesterol concen tration was greatest in liver of winter does. It was concluded that se ason and lactation minimally affect fatty acid composition in adipose and muscle, whereas changes in saturated and unsaturated fatty acids o ccur with increased age. Also, liver fatty acids are influenced by eac h parameter studied, but cholesterol varies only with season. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.