The Effects of Supplementing Ad Libitum Olive Pomace on Serum Fatty Acid Composition in Spanish Goats

In the livestock industry, the feedstuffs that are offered to livestock can alter the biochemical composition of blood and muscle tissue. Specifically, feedstuffs high in specific fatty acids can potentially create healthier meat and help reduce HDL cholesterol in humans. Olive pomace is a by-product of the olive oil industry and could be considered as a potential livestock feedstuff to be used to promote these fatty acids due to its high C18:1 content (74%). The objective of this study was to determine if olive pomace could be supplemented at a level that increases the C18:1 concentration in blood. To accomplish this, mature Spanish-influence goats (n=14; 41.6 kg) were fed ad libitum olive pomace, starting at 2% of their BW for 28 days to determine if this by-product would alter circulating fatty acid content and molasses was mixed with the ration at 0.5% BW to improve the palatability of the feed. Does were fed in herringbone-style runs every afternoon and BW and blood samples were collected every two weeks. All data were analyzed using the PROC GLM procedure in SAS. There were significant changes in C18:1 and C18:2 over time with mean consumption of 0.55 kg/d over the duration of the trial. From d 0 to d 28, the serum concentration of C18:1 increased (P<0.001) by 8.67% and C18:2 increased (P<0.03) by an average of 4.38%. Serum concentration of C18:0 increased by 3.59% but this was not significant. There was also no significant increase in C16:0. C18:1 and C18:0 followed a similar pattern of change (r=0.682) with a marked increase in concentration of C18:1 and C18:0 occurring from d 14 to d 28. This rise in concentration combined with the linear increase of C18:2 may indicate that C18:2 is saturated into C18:1 and then further into C18:0. No significant difference in C16:0 concentration indicates that while saturation occurs with the 18 carbon fatty acids, the loss of carbons is not as prevalent. If C18:1 is deposited in the muscle tissue as a result of increased concentration in the blood, then feeding olive pomace can be a healthy alternative to high starch ingredients such as corn and barley.