Influence of dietary conjugated linoleic acid and its combination with flaxseed oil or fish oil on saturated fatty acid and n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio in broiler chicken meat

This study examined the effect of CLA, flaxseed oil and fish oil and their combination forms on crude fat of liver and fatty acid profiles of liver, breast and thigh meat in broiler chicks. A total of 72, 1-day-old Cobb broilers were assigned to 6 groups, and fed an experimental diet supplemented with 5 different fat sources; conjugated linoleic acid (2% CLA), flaxseed oil (2% FXO), fish oil (2% FHO), CLA and flaxseed oil combination (1:1; 2% CXO), and CLA and fish oil combination (1:1; 2% CHO). Eight birds per treatment were processed, and liver, breast and thigh samples were investigated at 21 d of age. As a result of this study, most fatty acids of liver, breast and thigh meat were influenced by fat sources supplemented in the diet (p<0.05). CLA addition resulted in an increase of crude fat and saturated fatty acid (SFA) content but a concomitant decrease in n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio was observed in liver (p<0.05). Moreover, the same trends of SFA and n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio were also observed in breast and thigh meats of birds fed CLA alone. In the CXO-fed group or CHO-fed group, n-3 and n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio in both breast and thigh meat increased compared with CLA group, while SFA content decreased (p<0.05). FHO fed-groups had the lowest proportion of n-6 fatty acid in both breast and thigh meats compared to other fat source treatments (p<0.05). In conclusion, the increased levels of crude fat and SFA in liver and meats obtained by feeding CLA could be reduced by its combination with FXO or FHO. In addition, the combination of CLA and FXO or FHO fed to broiler chicks could increase the n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio of their meat along with the deposition of CLA.