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Linoleic Acid Requirement of the Hen for Reproduction

Animal Husbandry Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Maryland

A study was designed to determine the linoleic acid (18:2) requirement of the hen for reproduction. Two hundred Leghorn pullets were reared and fed an essential fatty acid-deficient diet from 2 weeks of age through 22 weeks of age. At week 22, the depleted pullets were divided into 14 groups comprising duplicate pens of 7 different treatments, randomly arranged in a cage layer house. The groups were fed an 18:2 deficient diet supplemented with corn oil calculated on the basis of daily consumption to supply 0.0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4% 18:2, respectively. All diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. After a 20-week experimental period, the data showed that the hen required approximately 2% dietary 18:2 for egg production and maximum egg size, and 1% 18:2 for hatchability of fertile eggs. The requirement for production of fertile eggs was less than 0.125%. Using the ratio of oleate to linoleate (18:1 to 18:2) in the plasma and liver as an estimation of dietary adequacy, the data illustrate that a ratio of 5.0 or less is indicative of an adequate intake of 18:2 for the hen. When 18:2 was expressed as percentage of dietary calories, the data showed the requirement for hatchability to be 3.14% and for egg production and maximum egg size, 6.19% of dietary calories. There were no significant differences in nutrient intake and body weights between each experimental group. Thus, the reproductive responses obtained were due to supplementary 18:2, and the requirement can be expressed as percentage of diet or as percentage of dietary calories.