Table 2

Comparison of mean polyunsatured fatty acid composition (expressed as mg/g of fatty acid or as a % of total lipid) between grass-fed and grain-fed cattle.

Fatty Acid

Author, publication year, breed, treatment
 C18:1 t11 Vaccenic Acid
 C18:2 n-6 Linoleic
 Total CLA
 C18:3 n-3 Linolenic
 C20:5n-3 EPA
 C22:5n-3 DPA
 C22:6n-3 DHA
 Total PUFA
 Total MUFA
 Total n-6
 Total n-3
 n-6/n-3 ratio
Alfaia, et al., 2009, Crossbred steers
 g/100 g lipid
     Grass
 1.35
 12.55
 5.14*
 5.53*
 2.13*
 2.56*
 0.20*
 28.99*
 24.69*
 17.97*
 10.41*
 1.77*
     Grain
 0.92
 11.95
 2.65*
 0.48*
 0.47*
 0.91*
 0.11*
 19.06*
 34.99*
 17.08
 1.97*
 8.99*
Leheska, et al., 2008, Mixed cattle
 g/100 g lipid
     Grass
 2.95*
 2.01
 0.85*
 0.71*
 0.31
 0.24*
 na
 3.41
 42.5*
 2.30
 1.07*
 2.78*
     Grain
 0.51*
 2.38
 0.48*
 0.13*
 0.19
 0.06*
 na
 2.77
 46.2*
 2.58
 0.19*
 13.6*
Garcia, et al., 2008, Angus steers
 % of total FAs
     Grass
 3.22*
 3.41
 0.72*
 1.30*
 0.52*
 0.70*
 0.43*
 7.95
 37.7*
 5.00*
 2.95*
 1.72*
     Grain
 2.25*
 3.93
 0.58*
 0.74*
 0.12*
 0.30*
 0.14*
 9.31
 40.8*
 8.05*
 0.86*
 10.38*
Ponnampalam, et al., 2006, Angus steers
 mg/100 g muscle tissue
     Grass
 na
 108.8*
 14.3
 32.4*
 24.5*
 36.5*
 4.2
 na
 930*
 191.6
 97.6*
 1.96*
     Grain
 na
 167.4*
 16.1
 14.9*
 13.1*
 31.6*
 3.7
 na
 1729*
 253.8
 63.3*
 3.57*
Nuernberg, et al., 2005, Simmental bulls
 % of total fatty acids
     Grass
 na
 6.56
 0.87*
 2.22*
 0.94*
 1.32*
 0.17*
 14.29*
 56.09
 9.80
 4.70*
 2.04*
     Grain
 na
 5.22
 0.72*
 0.46*
 0.08*
 0.29*
 0.05*
 9.07*
 55.51
 7.73
 0.90*
 8.34*
Descalzo, et al., 2005, Crossbred steers
 % of total FAs
     Grass
 4.2*
 5.4
 na
 1.4*
 tr
 0.6
 tr
 10.31*
 34.17*
 7.4
 2.0
 3.72*
     Grain
 2.8*
 4.7
 na
 0.7*
 tr
 0.4
 tr
 7.29*
 37.83*
 6.3
 1.1
 5.73*
Realini, et al., 2004, Hereford steers
 % fatty acid within intramuscular fat
     Grass
 na
 3.29*
 0.53*
 1.34*
 0.69*
 1.04*
 0.09
 9.96*
 40.96*
 na
 na
 1.44*
     Grain
 na
 2.84*
 0.25*
 0.35*
 0.30*
 0.56*
 0.09
 6.02*
 46.36*
 na
 na
 3.00*

* Indicates a significant difference (at least P < 0.05) between feeding regimens within each respective study reported. "na" indicates that the value was not reported in the original study. "tr" indicates trace amounts detected.

Daley et al. Nutrition Journal 2010 9:10   doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-10

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