Avenue media on behalf of Scientific Association of Animal Production (ASPA)
Doi
Abstract
A survey was carried out to monitor milk fatty acid (FA) composition during two years (2003 and
2004) on forty dairy sheep flocks, fed pasture based rations, in 5 macro pedoclimatic areas of Sardinia, featured by
different i) soil type, (granitic, G; basaltic, B and alluvial, A) ii) average annual rainfall (low, L, 500-600 mm/year;
high, H, 600-800 mm/year). Milk FA profile was strongly influenced by year. In particular milk linolenic acid (LN),
CLA (conjugated linoeic acid) and PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) levels increased (by 25, 30 and 14%, respectively,
P<0.01) whereas the atherogenicity index (AI) decreased (by 8%, P<0.01) in all areas in 2004 as compared with
2003. Pedoclimatic area affected milk fatty acid composition (P<0.01). In both years milk from AL farms showed the
highest levels of LN, CLA and PUFA. AI was lower in BH and GH in year 2003 and in BH, AH and GL in 2004
