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Essential Fatty Acid Nutrition of the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)¹

Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 ^* Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, SD 29801 ^** Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Grand Chenier, LA 70643

The essential fatty acid (EFA) nutrition of young American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) was examined by feeding a variety of fats/oils with potential EFA activity. Over a 12-wk period, alligators fed diets containing 2.5 or 5.0% chicken liver oil grew longer and heavier and converted feed to body mass more efficiently than alligators fed other fat/oil combinations that lacked or contained only trace amounts of arachidonic acid [20:4(n-6)]. Alligators fed an EFA-deficient diet (containing only coconut fat as the dietary fat) were the slowest-growing animals and converted feed to body mass least efficiently. However, over a 41-wk feeding period, alligators fed this diet showed no obvious external signs of deficiency other than being reduced in size and unthrifty. Fatty acid composition of heart, liver, muscle, skin and adipose tissue lipids was influenced markedly by dietary fat composition. Tissues varied significantly in response to dietary fat composition. Heart lipids contained the lowest levels of short- and medium-chain fatty acids and the highest levels of arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid levels were less influenced by diet than were levels of other 20- and 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids. Radiotracer studies indicated that linoleic acid was converted to arachidonic acid in the liver. Nevertheless, tissue arachidonic acid levels also appeared to be maintained by concentration from dietary sources and selective conservation. It appears that a dietary source of arachidonic acid may be required for a maximum rate of growth.

KEY WORDS: • alligator • fatty acid nutrition • essential fatty acid • arachidonic acid

¹ Supported by a grant from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, by State and Hatch funds allocated to the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Stations of the University of Georgia, and by a contract (DE-AC09-76SR00-819) between the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Georgia.

² Present address: Mainland Holdings Crocodile Farm, Niugini Table Birds, Pty. Ltd., P.O. Box 962, Lae, Paua New Guinea.

Manuscript received 25 April 1989. Revision accepted 29 December 1989.