The relative fatty acid composition of subcutaneous lipids was determined on fat biopsies obtained from steers and heifers at various stages of growth in two trials. The subcutaneous fatty acid composition was affected by changes in age and/or fattening and by season of the year. Fatty acid 18:0 decreased while 18:1 and 18:2 fatty acids increased as the animals increased in age. The relative amounts of 10:0, 12:1, 14:1 and 16:1 fatty acids were lower and 16:0 and 18:0 fatty acids higher during the cold winter months while the reverse was true during the summer. Subcutaneous lipid of steers had less 14:1 and more 18:2 fatty acid than heifers of the same age. Also, marked differences in relative amounts of fatty acids were noted between the two trials, suggesting that environment and genetics are important factors associated with such findings.
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Link et al. (1970) studied this question.