EGG-YOLK POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS AND VITAMIN-E CONTENT ALTERS THETOCOPHEROL STATUS OF HATCHED CHICKS

Polyunsatwated fatty acid composition and tocopherol status of newly h atched chicks from hens fed diets containing 3.5% menhaden (MO), flax (LO), palm (PO), or sunflower oils (SO) with (+T) or without tocophero ls were examined. Addition of tocopherols increased (P < 0.05) the toc opherol content of eggs and hatched chick tissues. The total tocophero l content was lower (P < 0.05) in MO+T eggs than in LO+T, PO+T, or SOT eggs. The tocopherol content of chick tissues was as follows liver > plasma > brain. Among the tocopherol-supplemented group, The MO+T chi cks incorporated the lowest (P < 0.05) level of total tocopherols in t he Liver and plasma when compared to chicks hatched from LO+T, PO+T, o r SO+T eggs. Brain tissue incorporated the lowest level of tocopherols among all the tissues examined. The fourfold increase in egg tocopher ols did not alter the brain tocopherol in MO+T, LO+T, or SO+T chicks. In the MO and LO eggs, there was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in n-3 PUFA when compared with SO or PO eggs. The C22:6 n-3 content in li ver and plasma was higher (P < 0.05) in chicks hatched from MO and LO eggs than in chicks hatched from PO or SO eggs. The brain tissue of MO chicks incorporated the highest (P < 0.05) levels of C22:6 n-3 follow ed by the brain tissue of LO chicks.