Reza Poureslami, PhD
Poultry Technical Manager
ADM Nutrition
This presentation will provide an update on nutritional value of fat and fatty acids, strategies to modify egg and chicken lipids for human health, and the role of fatty acids in controlling enteric pathogens and protozoal challenge. Our new research on various fat sources in young broiler chickens indicates that acidulated oil provides a good quality energy source e.g., 95% of AMEn of soy oil at comparatively lower cost. Beyond nutritional value, fatty acid composition of feed in relation to egg and meat fatty acid profile is of particular interest in producing omega-3 enriched products. Feeding an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) source of fat is of prime importance in achieving desired omega-3 level in yolk. Additionally, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) need to be balanced in order to gain n-3 PUFA target level in eggs. In order to produce omega-3 designer egg, vegetable sources of linolenic acid such as flax oil, extruded flaxseed and camelina sativa as well as marine oil and algae sources are used in the diet. Considering limited ability of humans to convert precursor, α-linolenic acid, into long chain PUFA, eggs from marine oil or algae-fed birds would provide more health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids compared to eggs from flax-fed birds. The transfer efficiency, deposition, and rate of elongation/desaturation of PUFA is different in laying hens than broiler chickens. In broilers, dietary fatty acid composition, gender, age, and type of muscle e.g., breast vs. dark meat influence response to n-3 fatty acids.
Due to their unique digestive and metabolic properties, medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) have been used in a variety of nutritional applications in food industry. Poultry industry seems a late adopter of this technology. However, in recent years application of both short chain fatty acids (SCFA, mainly C3 and C4) and MCFA (mainly C8, C10 and C12) to control enteric pathogens has gained growing interest in poultry nutrition. MCFA-mediated bacterial reduction in gastro-intestinal tract of poultry species is well documented. Microencapsulation and coating technologies are developed to bypass acidity of upper gut and to allow higher concentrations in lower parts of gastro-intestinal tract to control enteric pathogens.