EFFECT OF LIFE WEIGHT, SEX, FEED INTENSITY AND MEAT RIPENING ON THE FATTY-ACID PATTERN OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN BOVINE-TISSUES

The effect of live weight, sex, feed intensity and meat ripening on the fatty acid pattern of phospholipids in cattle meat has been studied. Fifty-four bulls, steers and heifers of the race "Deutsches Fleckvieh" were fed until a live weight of 200, 350, 425, 500, 575, and 650 kg was reached. The intramuscular tissue of musculus longissimus dorsi subjected to chemical analysis. No lipolysis of the phospholipids occurred during meat ripening. Meat ripening by the chosen conditions did not influence the composition of the fatty acids determined. The influence of feed intensity on the fatty acid pattern was not significant. The 18:3-omega-3 fatty acid and 20:5-omega-3 fatty acid contents decreased strongly at the beginning of the feeding period and remained constant during the rest of the period. The 22:4-omega-6 fatty acid content differed significantly between the sexes.