Abstract:

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the saturated and unsaturated fatty acid compositions in herbage and straw of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L. Dinçer; thornless) plant as alternative forage for ruminant. Major fatty acids in safflower herbage and safflower straw were determined as linoleic, palmitic, oleic and stearic acids. The pro-portions of myristic, pentadecanoic, cis-10-pentadecenoic, palmitic, palmitoleic, cis-10-pentadecenoic, α-linolenic, cis-eicosatrienoic, erucic, cis-docosahexaenoic, tricosanoic and lignoceric acids in total fat acids of safflower herbage were higher than those of safflower straw (P<0.01). The proportions of margaric, stearic, elaidic, oleic, linoleic, cis-11-eicoenioic, arachidonic, cis-eicosapentaenoic and nervonic acids in total fatty acids of safflower herbage were lower than those of safflower straw (P<0.001). The proportions of saturated fatty acid (SFA), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA) and w-3, and w-3/w-6 ratio for fatty acids of safflower herbage were high-er than those of safflower straw (P<0.001). The proportions of unsaturated fatty acid (UFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), w-6, w-9 and long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in total fatty acids of safflower straw were higher than those of safflower herbage (P<0.001). Palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids contents as mg/g in dry matter (DM) of safflower herbage were lower than those of safflower straw. As a result, safflower herbage and safflower straw had a rich fatty acid content in mg/g DM. The proportions and amounts of essential fatty acids in saf-flower straw, which have important biological activity, were higher than safflower herbage. In general, these feedstuffs stand out as rich alternative forages in w-3 and w-6 fatty acids.

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