Effects of Apricot Kernel Oil on Selected Performance and Blood Parameters and Meat Fatty Acid Composition of Broilers

This study investigates the effects of apricot kernel oil on selected performance, blood and carcass parameters and meat fatty acid composition of broilers. A total of 80, 1 day old, Ross 308 male broiler chicks were used in the study and the animals were fed in individual cages. The group fed with soybean oil supplemented ration was the control group. Ensuring groups are fed with isocaloric rations, equivalent amounts of soybean oil were removed from the rations and substituted with corresponding 5, 10 and 15 g kg(-1) apricot kernel oils. The groups supplemented with these amounts of apricot kernel oil were the treatment groups. At the end of the 42 day long experiment, no statistically significant differences were observed among groups with respect to performance and carcass parameters (p>0.05). The lowest plasma acid phosphatase level was identified in. the treatment group supplemented with 5 g kg(-1) apricot kernel oil and the highest level was identified in. the treatment group supplemented with 10 g kg(-1) apricot kernel oil (p<0.05). Apricot kernel oil supplementation in broiler rations significantly increased the proportions of C15:0 pentadecanoic acid, C17:0 heptadecanoic (margaric) acid, C17:1 heptadecanoic (margoleic) acid (p<0.05), C18:3 linolenic acid (p<0.001) and C20:1 eicosanoic acid (p<0.05). The experiment results indicated that apricot kernel oil supplementation in. broiler rations does not generate any negative effects on animal performance and can be beneficial for human nutrition since it has effects on fatty acid composition of animals.