Breed-Dependent Divergence in Breast Muscle Fatty Acid Composition Between White King and Tarim Pigeons

Fatty acid composition of skeletal muscle is an important determinant of meat quality in poultry. In this study, we compared the breast muscle fatty acid profiles of White King (BW, n = 25) and Tarim (TM, n = 23) pigeons using targeted fatty acid quantification under identical feeding and management conditions. Sixteen differential fatty acids were identified, with TM pigeons exhibiting significantly higher levels of palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), oleic (C18:1n9c), and linoleic (C18:2n6c) acids (p < 0.001). Principal component analysis revealed clear separation between breeds, reflecting distinct fatty acid composition patterns. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotation indicated that differential fatty acids were associated with pathways related to fatty acid biosynthesis, elongation, and degradation. Together, these results describe breed-specific differences in breast muscle fatty acid composition and provide a descriptive biochemical reference for understanding variation in meat quality-related traits among pigeon breeds.