Depletion and synthesis of fatty acids in chickens fed a diet low in unsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract

SummaryThe proportion of linoleic and arachidonic acid in liver and heart tissue of chickens fed fat-free diets decreased to near minimal values within the first 2 weeks after hatching. Addition of linoleic acid to a fat-free diet at 7 days of age resulted in a significant increase of both linoleic and arachidonic acid in the liver of chicks fed the supplement within 4 days. Chickens fed a diet free of unsaturated fatty acids from 1 to 28 days of age synthesized over 24 g of fatty acids. This consisted mainly of palmitate, palmitoleate and oleate. During the same period the linoleate and arachidonate content of the entire body decreased, resulting in a reduction in the percent of these acids to less than 1/16 of that originally present in the newly-hatched chick.