Effects of calcium salt of fatty acids on growth performance and biochemical parameters in broiler chickens

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine if calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA) can replace soybean oil in broilers diet. So 60 sex mixed Cobb chicks 10 day old divided into 3 groups, each included 20 chicks, and subdivided into 2 subgroups each included 10 chicks. All fed the same starter diet up to 10 days of age then fed grower and finisher diet with different dietary fat sources. Groups were: G₁: basal diet with CSFA (Poly fat®) (PF), G₂: basal diet with soybean oil (SO), G₃: basal diet with Poly fat® + soybean oil 50:50 (PF:SO) at grower period, and 75:25 (PF:SO) at finisher period. Adding CSFA alone to broilers diet lead to a non significant decrease in the live body weight and feed conversion ratio (FCR)= 2, G₃ had the best FCR=1.8 with a non significant increase in live body weight. CSFA showed a significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) (P≤0.05), a non significant decrease in the level of blood total cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol, this was supported by gene expression of cholesterol carrier protein that showed a decrease in its expression in G₁ and G₃ when compared with control group but there was a significant decrease in blood triacylglycerol in G₁ when compared with G₃ (P≤0.05) that showed the lowest results in blood total cholesterol, there was a significant increase in reduced glutathione (GSH) content in blood (P ≤0.001) and liver tissue (P≤0.05) and a non significant increase in glutathione peroxidase activity in both blood and liver tissue in PF group when compared with control group, adding CSFA had no effect on both blood calcium and inorganic phosphorus.

Conclusion: CSFA helps in reducing lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress and cholesterol level in broiler chicks.