نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
Introduction: Flaxseed oil contains a variety of unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic acid, linoleic acid, and oleic acid. The linolenic acid content can be up to 53%, which leads to increased nutritional value. However, the oxidative sensitivity of these polyunsaturated fatty acids is a major concern. Diets supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acids have been shown to increase cellular oxidative damage. Therefore, the use of antioxidants in diets containing flaxseed oil seems to be crucial. Spirulina platensis is rich in bioactive compounds that provide various health benefits. Phycocyanin, a pigment-protein complex found in spirulina, has strong antioxidant properties that help neutralize free radicals, thereby protecting cells from oxidative damage. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of Spirulina algae supplementation in diets containing different levels of flaxseed oil on performance, blood and liver antioxidant parameters, and serum and egg yolk lipid parameters in laying hens.
Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 288 laying hens (Hy-line-W36, 70 weeks of age) were used in a 2 × 3 factorial design with 6 replications and 8 birds per replication. The experimental treatments included diets containing 3 levels of flaxseed oil (0, 1.5, and 3% of the diet) and 2 levels of Spirulina platensis microalgae (0 and 5 g/kg of the diet). To evaluate performance indices, eggs were collected twice a day and the number and total weight of eggs were recorded at the end of each day. Egg mass, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were calculated weekly. To evaluate blood parameters, two serum samples from each replicate (12 samples per treatment) were prepared at the end of the experimental period. All data from this experiment were statistically analyzed in a 2×3 factorial test using SAS software and the Mixed procedure.
Results and Discussion: The results showed that hens treated with 3% flaxseed oil with or without spirulina had the highest percentage of egg production, weight and mass, which were significantly higher than those treated without flaxseed oil. The use of 3% flaxseed oil with 5 g of spirulina reduced feed conversion ratio compared to other experimental treatments. Levels of 1.5 and 3% flaxseed oil with 5 g of spirulina significantly reduced triglyceride and VLDL concentrations. The main effects of flaxseed oil showed that 3% flaxseed oil reduced egg yolk cholesterol. The interaction effect of 5 grams of spirulina and 3% flaxseed oil reduced egg yolk triglyceride levels compared to the control treatment. Diets containing 1.5 and 3% flaxseed oil reduced total antioxidant capacity and liver superoxide dismutase and total serum antioxidant capacity, while the use of 5 g of spirulina increased the aforementioned parameters. Also, serum malondialdehyde levels increased in chickens fed diets containing 1.5 and 3% flaxseed oil without Spirulina, and the addition of Spirulina was able to compensate for this increase caused by flaxseed oil. Laying hens have a very strong body fat metabolism, especially during the peak egg production period. Oils, as one of the essential nutrients for animal growth and one of the main components of egg yolk, play an important role in regulating the production performance of laying hens and egg weight. Therefore, the production performance and egg weight of laying hens may be improved by supplementing the diet with various oils. The reduction in yolk lipid profile in the present study could be due to the reduction of triglycerides in the blood circulation of the birds due to the increased omega-3 intake in the flaxseed oil-containing diet, potentially limiting the availability of lipids for yolk formation. Spirulina contains γ-linoleic acid, which binds to cholesterol metabolites in bile and prevents their accumulation. The researchers also stated that the reduction in cholesterol levels may be related to the inhibitory effects of spirulina on the activity of HMG-CoA reductase, an allosteric enzyme required for cholesterol synthesis in the liver. The present results showed that the increase in hepatic malondialdehyde, which is an indicator of oxidative stress, was reduced again by the addition of Spirulina to the flaxseed oil-containing diets, while glutathione peroxidase activity and total antioxidant capacity were increased by Spirulina treatment. The capacity of Spirulina to restore redox balance in flaxseed oil-containing diets can be attributed to its bioactive antioxidant compounds such as flavonoids and polyphenols and other free radical antagonists such as α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, β-carotene and selenium.
Conclusion: In general, the present researchers recommend using 3% flaxseed oil in the diet of laying hens to benefit from the positive effects of flaxseed oil on performance and blood lipid parameters. However, based on the present results, if 1.5 or 3% flaxseed oil is added to the diet, the use of Spirulina platensis algae as a natural antioxidant is vital to prevent lipid peroxidation.
کلیدواژهها English
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