Characteristics of Soft Subcutaneous Fat in Ram Lambs Fed Corn and Corn‐silage Diets

Softness of subcutaneous fat from ram lambs fed high corn silage or high corn diets varied within each dietary group, but, overall, fat from lambs fed the high corn‐silage was harder. Consistent decreases in stearic acid and increases in branched‐chain and odd‐numbered acids accompanied increases in fat softness both within each dietary group and between dietary groups. Results of this study suggest that the synthesis of even‐numbered, saturated acids is decreased as the fat becomes softer. Conversion of the high melting, even‐numbered, saturated stearic acid to oleic acid, the major acid found in the subcutaneous fat, causes considerable decreases in stearic acid with consequent increase in softness. Increases in linoleic and linolenic acids in fat from the high corn dietary group were not major factors in fat softness. Low levels of elaidic acid were found in all fat samples but the presence of this trans ‐acid was not involved in fat hardness.