Chickens can hepatically synthesize very long-chain omega-3 (VLC n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) from α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3 n-3); however, the efficiency is attenuated by linoleic acid (LA; 18:2 n-6), which competes with ALA for the same elongase and desaturase enzymes. Here, we fed broilers supplemental ALA-rich flaxseed oil (FLAX) while reducing the dietary level of LA to determine if greater tissue n-3 PUFA enrichment could be attained. Male Ross 708 chicks were fed a common starter diet from day 1 to 17. On day 18, 4 pens of 36 birds were each fed one of 5 diets: (1) reduced-LA/low-n-3 fatty acid base + 60 g/kg high-oleic sunflower oil (HOSO); (2) reduced-LA base + 50 g/kg FLAX+ 10 g/kg HOSO; (3) standard-LA base + 50 g/kg FLAX + 10 g/kg HOSO; (4) standard-LA base + 50 g/kg FLAX + 10 g/kg high-LA safflower oil; and (5) standard-LA base + 50 g/kg FLAX + 10 g/kg fish oil. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of diet on day-35 BW, FCR, breast, thigh, or abdominal fat pad weights, while birds fed diet 2 had higher thigh ALA, total n-3, and total VLC n-3 PUFA than birds fed diets 1, 3, and 4. Breast data followed a similar pattern, although the differences were not significant (P > 0.05). In conclusion, reducing the LA content of a FLAX-supplemented diet promoted greater deposition of n-3 PUFA in broiler muscles, although the highest tissue contents of VLC n-3 PUFA were observed in birds fed fish oil (diet 5).

鸡可以从α-亚麻酸（ALA ; 18：3 n-3）肝合成非常长的omega-3（VLC n-3）多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFA）；但是，亚油酸（LA ; 18：2 n-6）降低了效率，亚油酸与ALA竞争相同的延伸酶和去饱和酶。在这里，我们给肉鸡补充了富含ALA的亚麻籽油（FLAX），同时降低了LA的饮食水平，以确定是否可以实现更大的n-3 PUFA组织富集。从第1天到第17天，给雄性Ross 708雏鸡饲喂普通的起始日粮。在第18天，对36只鸡的4圈钢笔分别饲喂5种日粮中的一种：（1）左旋LA /低n-3脂肪酸碱+ 60 g / kg高油酸葵花籽油（HOSO）; （2）低LA碱+ 50 g / kg亚麻纤维+ 10 g / kg HOSO; （3）标准LA碱+ 50 g / kg亚麻纤维+ 10 g / kg HOSO; （4）标准LA基质+ 50 g / kg亚麻+ 10 g / kg高LA红花油; （5）标准LA基质+ 50 g / kg亚麻纤维+ 10 g / kg鱼油。饮食对第35天体重，FCR，乳房，大腿或腹部脂肪垫的重量没有影响（P > 0.05），而饲喂饮食2的鸟的大腿ALA，总n-3和总VLC n-3更高与饲喂日粮1、3和4的禽类相比，PUFA的乳腺癌数据遵循相似的模式，尽管差异并不显着（P  > 0.05）。总之，虽然在饲喂鱼油的鸟类中观察到最高的VLC n-3 PUFA组织含量，但减少FLAX补充饮食的LA含量可促进n-3 PUFA在肉鸡肌肉中的沉积更大。