Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including n-6 and n-3 fatty acids, are essential for enhancing the performance and health of poultry. Avian species lack desaturase enzymes for endogenous synthesis of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. This work aimed to determine the impacts of including soybean oil (SO) and linseed oil (LO) in quail diets on growth, lipid profile, hepatic and renal functions, immunity, and antioxidant status. A total of 350 Japanese quail chicks (1-wk-old) were randomly arranged into 7 dietary treatment groups. Seven isocaloric and isonitrogenous experimental basal diets were formed based on the nutritional requirements of growing Japanese quail. Group 1, the control, received a basal with no oils, while groups 2 to 7 received a basal diet containing either 1% SO, 1.5% SO, 2% SO, 1% LO, 1.5% LO, or 2% LO, respectively. Quail groups that consumed diets containing LO at all levels showed significantly greater live body weight (LBW) at 5th wk of age than other experimental groups. The dietary incorporation of 1.5 or 2% SO or LO at all levels yielded significant improvements in body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) through 3 to 5 and 1 to 5 wk of age. Different dietary oil sources and levels have no significant impacts on feed intake (FI) and carcass yield parameters. Lipid profile parameters were improved by adding SO and LO in quail diets, with LO having a higher effect than SO. The hepatic and renal functionality were improved by adding SO and LO in quail diets. The lowest uric acid (UA) bloodstream concentrations were recorded in the quail group fed a diet with 2% LO. Values of Gamma globulins (G-GLO) and immunoglobulins (G, M, and A) were increased by adding SO or LO to quail diets. Blood levels of MDA and TAC were improved significantly by including LO in quail diets. The activity of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme was significantly increased by adding SO or LO to quail diets. Generally, adding SO or LO to growing quail diets up to 2% could yield favorable effects on growth performance, blood lipids, hepatic and renal functions, immunity, and antioxidant status; however, LO seems to have better effects than SO.