Blood lipids and fatty acid composition of abdominal fat in castrated and intact male common pheasant (Colchicus colchicus)

The study was undertaken to examine the effects of castration on plasma lipids and on the fatty acid profile of abdominal fat in male pheasants. Thirty pheasants reared in a commercial pheasantry were included in the experiment. Half the pheasants were castrated at 8 weeks of age and the other half underwent sham surgery at the same age. Plasma levels of triglycerides and high density lipoproteins (HDL) were significantly higher in the castrated pheasants. Values for cholesterol tended to be higher in castrated pheasants although without statistical significance. The fatty acid content of the abdominal fat from castrated and intact pheasants were primarily composed of oleic acid (42.58%-40.33%), followed by palmitic acid (25.25%-27.33%), linoleic (14.05%-12.65%) and stearic acid (8.95%-9.40%). Castration also significantly influenced the fatty acid composition of abdominal fat. Compared to the intact pheasants, the fatty acid content of abdominal fat from castrated pheasants contained higher values for saturated fatty acids (SFA) and lower values for unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), unsaturated to saturated fatty acids ratio (UFA/SFA) and polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids ratio (PUFA/SFA)