ENDOGENOUS LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN BROILER-CHICKENS UNDER DIETARY LOADS

Growing broiler chickens were fed a Vitamin E-deficient diet containing 10 % reesterified triglyceride from soy-bean-oil. Six groups with day-old broiler chicken were supplemented with 0, 20 or 100 ppm of vitamin E. On each vitamin level one group was fed with the fresh fat, the other was supplied with the fat being oxidized. Clinical data and development of body weight were registered. The animals were euthanised after 3 weeks. Pentane production of liver mitochondria and microsomes was measured and tocopherol concentrations were determined as well as the GSH-PX-activity in liver cytosol and plasma. Deficiency of vitamin E together with a high level of dietary linoleic acid leads to an imbalance in peroxidative and antioxidative metabolism and finally to disease. It is discussed if the clinical signs after consumption of linoleic acid-rich oxidized oils are caused by specific toxic secundary products.