This research aimed to evaluate the effect of diet lipid source and sex on meat quality and lipid fatty acid composition in fattening lambs. Twenty-eight Gentile di Puglia breed lambs were weaned at about 35 days of age and included in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme of two sexes (males vs. females) and two diets (soybean meal vs. extruded linseed).Lambs fed linseed diet had a higher carcass fat score than lambs fed soybean diet. The linseed diet gave a higher (P < 0.05) PUFA content and a lower n-6/n-3 ratio than the soybean diet. The females had lower (P < 0.01) daily growth rates, higher (P < 0.01) feed conversion ratio, greater (P < 0.01) dressing percentages and fatter carcasses (P < 0.01); while, the meat of the males showed higher values of final pH, brightness and yellow index. The males showed a lower PUFA n-6:n-3 ratio in comparison with females.In conclusion, the diet influenced fewer variables compared to sex. The fatty acid composition of meat resulted more satisfying in males than females.
