Effects of Broiler Breeder Hen Age and Dietary Fat Intake on Circulating Serum Lipids

Abstract

Latour, M.A., Peebles, E.D., Doyle, S.M. and Panskv, T. 2001. Effects of broiler breeder hen age and dietary fat intake on circulating serum lipids. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 19: 73–84. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet and broiler breeder hen age on serum cholesterol (CHOL) and very low density (VLDL) and high density (HDL) lipoproteins. In Experiment 1, breeder hens were bled at 20, 26, 32, 36, 43 and 48 wk of age, whereas in Experiment 2 hens were bled at 22, 36, 51 and 69 wk of age. Across both experiments lipids changed drastically with the onset of lay and as the breeders aged. In Experiment 1, CHOL and HDL decreased at 32 wk and remained low through 48 wk when compared to prelay values at 20 wk. A similar pattern was observed in Experiment 2. In both experiments, VLDL increased greatly with the onset of egg production. Despite the alterations in diet (saturated vs unsaturated diets) there were no differences in circulating lipids as affected by diet. The present study provides information on circulating lipids in broiler breeders through a complete production period, when challenged with various lipid diets. Even though diets were modified in lipid composition, the broiler breeder hens only exhibited changes in their circulating lipids as a function of age, a unique distinction from mammalian lipid metabolism.