Comparative Analysis of the Composition of Fatty Acids and Metabolites between Black Tibetan and Chaka Sheep on the Qinghai—Tibet Plateau

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Chaka sheep are adapted to a harsh, highly saline environment and are also known for having typical sensory characteristics attributed to free-range conditions and grazing on wild plants. Black Tibetan sheep are located in Guinan county, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Hainan, Qinghai Province, and are well-adapted to the harsh plateau environment in China. In this study, we compared the fatty acids and metabolites in the longissimus dorsi muscle between Black Tibetan and Chaka sheep grazing in a highly saline environment. We found that upregulated organic acid and fatty acid biosynthesis increased the meat quality of Chaka sheep. ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to investigate and compare fatty acids and metabolites in the longissimus dorsi muscle between Black Tibetan and Chaka sheep grazing in a highly saline environment. A total of eight castrated sheep (14 months old) with similar body weights (25 ± 2.2 kg) were selected. The experimental treatments included Black Tibetan (BT) and Chaka sheep (CK) groups, and each group had four replications. The experiment lasted for 20 months. All sheep grazed in a highly saline environment for the whole experimental period and had free access to water. The results showed that the diameter (42.23 vs. 51.46 μm), perimeter (131.78 vs. 166.14 μm), and area of muscle fibers (1328.74 vs. 1998.64 μm(2)) were smaller in Chaka sheep than in Black Tibetan sheep. The ash content in the longissimus dorsi was lower in Chaka sheep than in Black Tibetan sheep (p = 0.010), and the contents of dry matter (DM), ether extract (EE), and crude protein (CP) in the longissimus dorsi showed no differences (p > 0.05). For fatty acids, the proportions of C10:0, C15:0, and tC18:1 in the longissimus dorsi were higher in Chaka sheep than in Black Tibetan sheep (p < 0.05). However, all other individual fatty acids were similar among treatments, including saturated fatty acids (SFAs), unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and the ratios of n-6 PUFAs to n-3 PUFAs and PUFAs to SFAs (p > 0.05). A total of 65 biomarkers were identified between the two breeds of sheep. Among these metabolites, 40 metabolic biomarkers were upregulated in the CK group compared to the BT group, and 25 metabolites were downregulated. The main metabolites include 30 organic acids, 9 amino acids, 5 peptides, 4 amides, 3 adenosines, 2 amines, and other compounds. Based on KEGG analysis, eight pathways, namely, fatty acid biosynthesis, purine metabolism, the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, renin secretion, the regulation of lipolysis in adipocytes, neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction, the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway, and the cAMP signaling pathway, were identified as significantly different pathways. According to the results on fatty acids and metabolites, upregulated organic acid and fatty acid biosynthesis increased the meat quality of Chaka sheep.