Marine bacteria as a Source of Essential Fatty acid for Gallus domesticus

Abstract

The natural distribution of two essential fatty acids for animal, namely linoleic and alpha linolenic acid, is not in same order. While the distribution of linoleic acid is cosmopolitan, alpha linolenic acid distribution is very much restricted more confined to marine environment. The seven days old chicks of Gallus domesticus, broiler strain, were fed a diet supplemented with Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Pseudomonas bacterial strains, collected from the west coast of India, for a period of 30 days. These bacterial strains contained about 15-20% of alpha linolenic acid (as essential fatty acid) when grown on sodium acetate medium. Dietary supplementation of these bacteria increases the net weight of the birds in comparison to the control birds. This net weight gain of the bird was also reflected in total protein, triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipid concentrations of various tissues. Supplementation of these bacteria as a source of alpha linolenic acid in birds enhanced the tissue level eciosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic fatty acids at the cost of palmitic, oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acid. A reduction in the serum total cholesterol, total triglycerides along with an increase of HDL cholesterol was noticed in the birds whose diet was supplemented with Streptococcus strain of bacteria only. The cardiac and liver function tests confirmed the well being status of the birds supplemented with Streptococcus strain. The involvement of dietary alpha linolenic acid towards the metabolism of cholesterol in birds was noticed in the Gallus.