Two different oils in feeds for poultry : effects on feed digestion

Abstract

The objective of present study was to investigate the digestibility of fat in the different segments of the small intestine in broiler chickens fed with two different feed containing either 4% soybean oil or 2% rapeseed oil + 2% linseed oil. The feed containing soybean oil resulted in higher fat digestibility percentage (in jejunum 38.8 vs. 36.3% and the first part of ileum 85.8 vs. 74.6%) compared to the rapeseed plus linseed oil diet. Final body weight and liver weight were significantly different in the diet groups (p≤0.05). Final body weight in the soya oil group was 2137.6 gram and in the rapeseed plus linseed oil group 2019.6 gram, and liver weight was 64 gram in the soybean oil group and 58 gram in the rapeseed plus linseed oil group. There were no significant differences in the gizzard weight in two diet groups. The increased fat digestibility in jejunum and the first part of ileum might be one factor contributing to increased final body weight. Keywords: digestibility, ileum, jejunum, fat