Effects of butylene and propylene glycols on body composition and fatty acid synthetase in lambs.

To test whether lipogenesis is limited by lack of glucose precursors, 45 lambs (30 kg) were randomly grouped by sex and initial weight and fed ad libitum in pens of three in a growth and slaughter experiment. The diets consisted of a basal mixed chopped hay (C), hay + 4% butylene glycol (BD) and hay + 4% propylene glycol (PG). On a dry matter basis, the crude protein content and in vitro true digestibility of the hay were 9.6 and 64%, respectively. Growth and feed intake were recorded. After 13 weeks, the lambs were killed. Blood glucose concentrations, feed intake and weight gains did not differ between diets, but intake and weight gains were minimal. BD increased (P greater than .01) blood ketones. Perirenal adipose tissue fatty acid synthetase (FAS) activity averaged 2.6, 2.4 and 1.2 nmole NADPH oxidized/mg cytosol protein/min for the BD, PG and C lambs, respectively. Values for both glycol-fed groups were higher (P greater than .01) than the control value. Carcass chemical composition followed a similar pattern, with BD, PG and C carcasses containing 38.1, 39.2 and 35.8% dry matter, respectively, and the dry matter containing 36.6, 39.4 and 30.0% fat, respectively. Carcasses of the BD and PG lambs did not differ significantly from each other, but both groups had more (P greater than .05) fat and less (P greater than .05) protein and ash than did the C carcasses, suggesting that the chemical composition of lamb carcasses may be nutritionally manipulated. The essentially equal response of adipose FAS activity and carcass fat in lambs fed PG and lambs fed BD indicates that the inclusion of glucogenic substances did not promote lipogenesis in these lambs fed at or slightly above maintenance.