Effect of sn-2 Saturated Fatty Acids in Dietary Triglycerides on Fatty Acid and Calcium Digestibility and Leg Abnormalities in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to investigate whether increasing the dietary level of sn-2 saturated fatty acids (SFA) could improve total fatty acids (TFA) and Ca digestibility, growth performance and tibia characteristics, and reduce the occurrence of leg abnormalities in broiler chickens. In experiment 1, 30 male broiler chicks were individually fed diets with either low or high levels of sn-2 SFA and one of three levels of Ca in a factorial design manner. The apparent digestibility (AD) of TFA and Ca were measured. Increasing the dietary level of sn-2 SFA increased the AD of TFA (P<0.01) and Ca (P<0.05) in the broilers. Increasing the dietary Ca decreased the AD of TFA and Ca (P<0.01). In experiment 2, four hundred male broiler chicks were fed either a low or high sn-2 SFA diet. Growth performance, tibia characteristics and the occurrences of leg abnormalities during weeks 0 to 6 were measured. Increasing dietary level of sn-2 SFA did not affect growth performance, but increased stress and Ca level in the tibias (P<0.05) and decreased the occurrence of leg abnormalities (P<0.05). These results indicated that increasing the dietary level of sn-2 SFA could improve fatty acid and Ca digestibility and tibia characteristics and reduce the occurrence of leg abnormalities in broilers.