Effects of Dietary Canola Oil on Growth, Feed Efficiency, and Fatty Acid Profile of Bacon in Finishing Pigs and of Longissimus Muscle in Fattening Horses

Studies were carried out to determine the effect of feeding diet containing 5% canola oil on growth, feed efficiency, and fatty acid profile of bacon in finishing pigs and of longissimus muscle in horses fattening for meat production. In experiment 1, twenty cross-bred barrows and twenty cross-bred gilts (average weight, 80 kg) were blocked by sex and weight, and five barrows or five gilts were allotted to one of eight pens $(6.25m^2/pen)$, respectively. Four pens (two with barrows and two with gilts) randomly selected were assigned to a control diet containing 5% tallow and the remaining four pens to a diet containing 5% canola oil. The average daily weight gain, daily feed intake and feed efficiency over a 6-wk feeding period were not different (p>0.05) between the two diets, nor was backfat thickness. Fatty acid profile in bacon fat showed that the 0-3 fatty acid ($\alpha-linolenic$ acid) content in pigs fed diet containing 5% canola oil was approximately three times (P<0.01) as much as in pigs fed tallow. In experiment 2, thirty-two Jeju horses (average $weight{\pm}SE,\;244{\pm}5kg$) were blocked by sex and weight, and two horses of the same sex and similar body weight were allotted to one $(15m^2/pen)$ of eight pens. Eight pens (four with males and four with females) selected randomly were assigned to a control diet containing 5% tallow and the remaining eight pens to a diet containing 5% canola oil. The average daily weight gain, daily feed intake and feed efficiency for concentrates without roughages over a 5-month feeding period were not different (P>0.05) between the two diet groups. Fatty acid profile in the muscle fat showed that the 0-3 fatty acid (a-linolenic acid) content in horses fed diet containing 5% canola oil was approximately two times (P<0.01) that in horses fed tallow. The increased (P<0.01) 0-3 fatty acid content in pigs and horses fed canola oil decreased the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids compared to the control, indicating a significant improvement in pork and horsemeat fatty acid profile for health benefit. Our study demonstrated that feeding diet containing 5% canola oil may help produce pork and horsemeat with more health benefit, increasing their $\alpha-linolenic$ acid content without deleterious effects on growth of pigs and horses.