Fatty acid modulation and meat quality in Simmental bulls fed ground linseed at varying levels and durations

Consumer interest in functional foods has encouraged research efforts aimed at improving the nutritional quality of meat. In this study, the effect of linseed supplementation and supplementation duration on the fatty acid composition, oxidative stability, and sensory characteristics of meat from Simmental young bulls was evaluated. Thirty animals were allocated to a control group (CG) and two experimental groups receiving different amounts of linseed in the diet (EG1, 0.3 kg/day; EG2, 0.7 kg/day). Supplementation significantly (p < 0.05) increased the content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and decreased the n-6/n-3 ratio in both experimental groups, with EG1 showing significantly (p < 0.05) more favorable changes in nutritional...