PERFORMANCE RESPONSE OF BROILER CHICKENS TO THE REPLACEMENT OF SOYBEAN OIL AND ACIDULATED FATTY ACIDS BY LECITHIN IN THE DIET

Abstract

Lecithin is the main phospholipid of soybean oil. It participates in the membrane formation of all body cells and provides energy. The aim of this research was to study the partial or total substitution of soybean oil (SB) and acidulated soybean fatty acids (AFA) by soybean lecithin (L) on the productive response, amount of liver ether extract, and the coloration of liver and skin from chickens fed with corn-soybean diets. Mixed-Cobb 500 broiler chickens from 1 to 42 days of age were used in a completely randomized design composed by 7 treatments of 8 repetitions with 50 birds each. The treatments consisted in the partial or total replacement (25% and 50%) of SB by L and AFA. No significant differences (P>0.05) were found in the productive variables, liver yellowness, carcass skin and the percentage of liver ethereal extract between treatments. In conclusion, the L is an alternative source for SB or AFA in corn-soybean diets for broiler chickens as a total or partial replacement, without affecting the productive response, liver ether extract, and yellowness coloration of liver and skin.