Chemical evaluation and fatty acid profile of broilers meat fed diets with fish meal or white oat

The objective was to analyze the chemical composition and profile of fatty acids of broilers meat (breast and drumstick/thigh) fed diets with fish meal and oats. A completely randomized design, with five diets, three replications of 10 birds each, was used. Diets with 4.5 or 9% fishmeal, 10 or 20% oats, and control diet were evaluated. There was no difference in breast chemical composition. Drumstick/thigh of birds fed diets with 9% fishmeal and 10% oats showed greater amount of lipids than those fed control diet and diet with 20% oats. Composition of saturated fatty acids, as for breast and as for drumstick/thigh, did not differ between the birds. Diet with 20% oats increased the amount of palmitoleic acid in the breast in comparison to that with 9% fishmeal. Accretion of fatty acid in drumstick/thigh was higher in birds fed both diets with oats and lower in those fed diet with 9% fishmeal. Diet with 9% fishmeal showed greater potential to increase polyunsaturated fatty acids ω3 (alfa-linolenic) in breast and ω6 in drumstick/thigh, as compared to diets with oats. However, diet with 9% fishmeal showed greater accretion of ω3 in drumstick/thigh. Use of oats in diet improves the profile of monounsaturated fatty acids, especially palmitoleic acid, while use of 9% fish meal in diet improves the profile of ω3 and ω6 polyunsaturated fatty acids.