V. Berthelot et al., Effect of dietary propionate on intake patterns and fatty acid compositionof adipose tissues in lambs, SMALL RUMIN, 40(1), 2001, pp. 29-39
The aim of the present trial was to study the effect of dietary propionate
supplementation on growth performance, intake patterns and on the proportio
n of odd-numbered and methyl-branched chain fatty acids in internal or in s
ubcutaneous adipose tissues. These fatty acids are responsible, in part, fo
r abnormally soft subcutaneous adipose tissue. Eleven male lambs were fed a
d libitum carbohydrate-rich diets based mainly on barley, supplemented (P d
iet) or not supplemented (C diet) with 5.6% DM of sodium propionate. During
the trial, the intake patterns were recorded on three non-consecutive days
over a 9 h-period. The fatty acid compositions of four adipose tissue site
s, two subcutaneous (dorsal, caudal) and two internal (omental, perirenal)
were analysed. The ME intake (3.32 +/- 0.44 Meal per day) and average daily
gain (316 +/- 64 g per day) were not different (P > 0.10) between the C an
d P treatments. The intake patterns of these lambs given ad libitum access
to feed did not show any large meal even after the morning distribution of
feed. No differences in intake patterns were observed between the two diets
. The dietary propionate supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the proportio
n of odd-numbered fatty acids (Odd FA) in both internal (increase of 0.7 wt
.% of total fatty acids) and subcutaneous adipose tissues (increase of 1.7%
of total fatty acids). The effect of dietary propionate supplementation on
branched-chain fatty acids was less conclusive although it tended to incre
ase (P = 0.09) the proportion of branched-chain fatty acids other than the
iso and anteiso fatty acids (BCFAO) in dorsal adipose tissue. This experime
nt confirms the role of propionate as an important precursor of odd-numbere
d and methyl-branched chain fatty acids. Moreover, the dorsal adipose tissu
e seems to be the most sensitive adipose tissue to dietary increment in rum
inal propionate content. A positive relationship between the mean ME intake
rate measured over 8.5 h and the proportions of Odd FA and BCFA in dorsal
adipose tissue was shown. However, it does not appear to play a predominant
role in the explanation of the individual variability in dorsal fatty acid
composition. <(c)> 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.