Nutritional Composition in Bone Extracts from Jeju Crossbred Horses at Different Slaughter Ages

The effects of slaughter age (28, 32, or 38 mon) on the proximate composition, collagen content, fatty acid composition, amino acid content, and mineral contents of horse leg bone (femur and tibia) extracts (HLBE) obtained from Jeju crossbred horses (n=14) in Korea. HLBE was extracted for 24 h with boiling water. At those ages, the respective proximate compositions of the HLBE were found as follows: 5.20−6.42% crude protein; fat 0.61−1.65% crude; and 0.10−0.22% crude ash. At 32 and 38 mon, the HLBE showed higher levels of both crude protein and collagen than at 28 mon. The major fatty acids of the horse leg bone extract powder (HLBP) were palmitic acid and oleic acid. Palmitoleic acid and the essential fatty acids were higher in the HLBP at 38 mon compared to that at 28 mon. Nearly all the amino acids were found at higher levels in the HLBP at 38 mon than at 28 mon, except histidine. The P, K, Zn, Se and Fe contents in the HLBP increased significantly with age. These results suggest that some nutrients in the HLBE increase with age, and that extracts from horses older than 32 mon would be more nutritious for human consumers.