Interaction of dietary fat with levels of vitamins A and E in broiler chicks

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted with broiler chicks to study the effect of different levels of choice animal tallow on absorption of vitamins A and E. The first experiment involved 9 dietary treatments in a 3 X 3 factorial arrangement, consisting of 3 levels of vitamin A (2,000, 10,000, and 18,000 IU/kg) and 3 levels of animal fat (0, 3, and 6%). Liver vitamin A concentration significantly increased linearly (P less than .01) with increasing dietary vitamin A. The effect of dietary fat on liver vitamin A concentration was not significant. The highest liver vitamin A concentration occurred with 3% added fat (5.2% total dietary fat). The second experiment consisted of 7 levels of dietary fat (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10%), each fed with a constant vitamin A (14,500 IU/kg). Increasing fat significantly (P less than .05) increased liver vitamin A concentration in a quadratic manner at 4 and 6 weeks of age (P less than .01). The highest liver vitamin A concentration corresponded to 5% added fat (5.3% total fat). The third experiment involved 9 treatments in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement with supplemental vitamin E at 0, 10, and 100 IU/kg and animal fat at 0, 3, and 6% of the diet. Plasma vitamin E significantly increased in a quadratic manner (P less than .01) with increasing vitamin E and increased linearly (P less than .01) with increasing fat. Plasma vitamin A concentration also increased (P less than .01) with increasing fat. The fat x vitamin E interaction was significant (P less than .01).