176 Supplemental dietary microalgal docosahexaenoic acid enriched this fatty acid and improved n-6. (7th December 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Magnuson, A; Sun, T; Liu, G; Tolba, S; Lei, X
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal science. Volume 96(2018)Supplement 3
• Page Start: 297
• Page End: 297
• Publication Date: 2018-12-07
• Subjects: Docosahexaenoic acid -- egg yolk -- fatty acid -- omega-3 -- poultry; Livestock -- Periodicals; Livestock; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 636.005
• DOI: 10.1093/jas/sky404.654
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8812

Abstract

Abstract: The present study was to determine if feeding laying hens a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-rich microalgal biomass produced a dose-dependent enrichment of this fatty acid into their egg yolks and tissues. A total of 40 White Leghorn Shavers (42-wk old) were divided into 4 groups (n = 10/group), caged in an environmentally-controlled room, and fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet supplemented with the microalgal biomass ( Aurantiochytrium ) (Heliae, Gibert, AZ) at 0, 1, 2, and 4% of the diet (0, 1.7, 3.4, and 6.8 g DHA/kg of diet) for 6 wk. Body weight, feed intake, and egg production and quality were recorded weekly. Blood and eggs were collected (n = 10) and liver (n = 6) were collected at wk 3 and/or wk 6 for analyses. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The supplementation of microalgae resulted in dose-dependent enrichments of DHA (P < 0.05) in the plasma (R 2 = 0.66–0.85), liver (R 2 = 0.80), and egg yolk (R 2 = 0.85-0.74) of hens at wk 3 and/or wk 6. The maximal concentrations of DHA reached 0.83 mg/mL, 2.4 mg/kg, and 225 mg/kg, respectively, in these samples. The microalgae supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) linoleic and arachidonic acid concentrations and improved ratios of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids (from 20 to 1.7) in the liver and egg yolk at wk 3 and (or) wk 6. The microalgae supplementation showed no effect on feed intake, body weight, or egg production of hens, but the 4% microalgae decreased (P < 0.05) egg yolk and total egg weights, plasma concentrations of lipids, glucose, and uric acid, and elevated (P < 0.05) concentrations of lipids, compared with the control. In conclusion, supplemental dietary DHA from the Aurantiochytrium biomass was highly bioavailable for producing high DHA-enriched eggs and improving their n-6 to n-3 fatty acid ratio.