The fatty acid composition of intestinal-lymph lipids in sheep and lambs

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Abstract
The intestinal-lymph lipids in sheep fed on lucerne chaff contain only small amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids although these acids represent about 60% of the total fatty acids in lucerne chaff. When maize oil was given into the rumen of sheep, there was no increase in the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the intestinal lymph. When given into the abomasum or into young lambs, the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the intestinal lymph increased. Both cis and trans isomers of monoenoic acids were produced in the rumen and absorbed into the intestinal lymph. Linoleic acid was predominant in the lymph phospholipids. Several branched-chain fatty acids were present in low concentration in the intestinal lymph of sheep. These were not found in the lipids of the lucerne chaff fed to the sheep and were presumed to be formed in the rumen.