The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of dietary rumen undegradable protein (RUP) level and rumen-protected conjugated linoleic acid (rpCLA) on meat fatty acid (FA) profile, chemical compositions and colour parameters of growing kids. Thirty-two Kurdish goat kids (13·06 ± 1·08 kg body weight) were fed diets differing in RUP level (low = 250 v. high = 350 g/kg of dietary crude protein) supplemented either with 15 g/kg of rpCLA or 12 g/kg of hydrogenated soyabean oil (HSO) for 80 d. Interaction of dietary rpCLA and RUP level had no effect on hot carcass weight, dressing and cut percentage, and meat chemical composition and colour parameters. Meat total SFA, MUFA and PUFA concentrations were not influenced by experimental diets, whereas kids fed diets supplemented with rpCLA had lower meat total SFA and higher PUFA concentrations compared with those fed diets supplemented with HSO. The concentration of meat trans-11-8 : 1 was not influenced by rpCLA supplementation, RUP level and their interaction. Kids fed diets containing rpCLA supplementation had higher meat total CLA and cis-9, trans-11-CLA and trans-10, cis-12-CLA isomers compared with those fed diets containing HSO supplementation. Desaturase indexes of C14, C16 and C18 were not influenced by rpCLA supplementation, RUP level and their interaction. It is concluded that supplementing growing kids' diets with RUP and 15 g/kg of rpCLA not only decreased meat fat content but also increased some FA considered to be of potential benefit to human health.
Keywords: Conjugated linoleic acid; Meat fatty acids; Meat quality; Rumen undegradable protein.