Three experiments were conducted to study the influence of dietary fatty acids
on the production performance and immune response of chickens. In experiment I,
forty day-old broiler chicks were fed diets containing 5% of either animal fat +
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (Diet I), sunflower oil (Diet II), flax oil (Diet III) or
fish oil (Diet IV). No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between the live
weight of birds. The liver tissue total fat content was lower (P<0.05) in treatment I and
II. The fatty acid composition of breast and thigh muscle, liver, heart, pericardial fat,
plasma, splenocytes and gut associated lymphoid tissue differed (P<0.05) between
treatments. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) of breast and thigh
muscle, liver and heart tissue were lower (P<0.05) in Diet I fed birds. Serum antibody
activity was decreased (P<0.05) in Diet II fed birds.
In experiment II, 120 day-old broiler chicks were fed diets containing 3.5% of
either animal fat + conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (Diet I), sunflower oil (Diet II),
linseed oil (Diet III) or fish oil (Diet IV). Body weight gain was higher (P<0.05) in
Diets III and IV compared to Diets I and II fed birds. Feed intake was increased
(P<0.05) in Diet IV fed birds. Birds fed Diets III and IV had higher (P<0.05) n-3 fatty
acids in all tissues studied. A preferential incorporation of CLA was observed in
spleen mononuclear cells. TBARS were higher (P<0.05) in the breast and thigh
muscle of Diet IV fed birds. Serum anti-BSA antibody content was higher (P<0.05) in
birds fed Diets III and IV. Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response was
increased (P<0.05) in Diets IV and III fed birds. Lymphocyte and spleen mononuclear
cell CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and IgM⁺ cell population did not differ (P>0.05) among treatments.
In experiment III, 120 layer birds were fed diets containing 3% of
CLA+animal fat (Diet I), sunflower oil (Diet II), canola+flax oil (Diet III) or fish oil
(Diet IV). Egg production, feed consumption and feed efficiency did not differ
(P>0.05) among treatments. Birds fed Diets III and IV had higher content of n-3 fatty
acids in eggs. Eggs from hens fed Diet I incorporated higher (P<0.05) CLA and
saturated fatty acids with a concomitant reduction in (P<0.05) monounsaturated fatty
acid content. A preferential incorporation of CLA was observed in eggs over other
tissues. TBARS were higher (P<0.05) in breast and thigh muscle of Diet IV fed birds.
Egg TBARS content did not differ (P>0.05) among treatments. Serum and yolk anti-BSA antibody contents were higher (P<0.05) in birds fed Diets III and IV. DTH
response was increased (P<0.05) in Diets IV and III fed birds. Lymphocyte and spleen
mononuclear cell CD4⁺, CD8⁺ and IgM⁺ cell population did not differ (P>0.05) among
treatments. Feeding n-3 fatty acids increased antibody mediated immune response
while n-6 fatty acids and CLA increased cell mediated immune response. / Graduation date: 2003
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/30234 |
| Date | 29 August 2002 |
| Creators | Selvaraj, Ramesh Kumar |
| Contributors | Cherian, Gita |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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