The Fatty Acid Profile of Rye and Annual Ryegrass Pasture Changes during Their Growth Cycle

摘要

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a specific fatty acid (FA) derived from biohydrogenation of linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic (18:2) acids in ruminant animals (2). By consuming dairy and beef products high in CLA content, humans could obtain dietary concentrations of CLA that have demonstrably reduced the incidence of cancer in animal analogues (2). The concentration of C18:2 and C18:3 in forage grasses is known to vary widely between and within species (1), and such changes in the pasture or feed affect CLA synthesis in the ruminant animal and the CLA concentration in ruminant products (2). Information on this variability may influence feeding strategies that optimize CLA concentration in products from pasture-fed ruminants. Therefore, the objectiveof this study was to document changes in total FA and CLA precursors in two common winter annual forages, rye (Secale cereale) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam), during their growing seasons.