Excessive Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid Affects Hepatic Lipid Content and Muscular Fatty Acid Composition in Young Chicks

The effects of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on lipid concentrations and fatty acid composition of various tissues were studied in young chicks. From 7 days of age, a total of 160 chicks were divided into 4 groups, placed into 4 pens per group (10 birds per pen) and fed one of four experimental diets containing 6% tallow (TO 6%), 4% tallow plus 2% CLA (TO 4%-CLA 2%), 2% tallow plus 4% CLA (TO 2%-CLA 4%) or 6% CLA (CLA 6%) for 3 weeks. There were no significant differences in growth performances and the relative weights of various organs, but relative liver weight of chicks fed dietary CLA at 4 and 6% levels was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of TO 6% group. The chemical compositions of leg muscle were not affected by CLA feeding. However, hepatic total lipid of chicks fed 6% CLA diet was significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of TO 6% and TO 4%-CLA 2% groups. The concentrations of various lipid fractions in serum were not affected by CLA feeding. With the increase in dietary CLA levels, cis 9-trans 11 CLA, trans 10-cis 12 CLA and total CLA of leg muscle increased linearly. The relative proportions of C18:1 ω-9 and C20:4 ω-6 fatty acids in the leg muscles of chicks fed the CLA containing diets were significantly lower (p<0.05) than those of TO 6% group. These results indicate that the levels of CLA isomers were increased linearly in dose-dependent manner after feeding of synthetic CLA source. But it was also observed that excessive amount of dietary CLA resulted in the possible adversely effects, such as increase of liver weight, hepatic lipid accumulation and serum GOT level. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 8 : 1171-1176)