Factors Affecting the Utilization of “Carbohydrate-free” Diets by the Chick

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to study the role which glycerol plays in enabling chicks to utilize fatty acids in “carbohydrate-free” diets. Studies have shown that removal of glycerol from a “carbohydrate-free” diet, by substituting soybean fatty acids for soybean oil, results in a marked depression in growth rate. The amount of glycerol required for the maximal growth response of chicks fed diets containing 15.4 kcal/g protein in which non-protein energy is supplied by soybean fatty acids has been shown to be the amount required for theoretical conversion of fatty acids to triglyceride, i.e., 0.108 g glycerol/g fatty acids. Other studies have shown that glucose is at least as effective as glycerol in enabling chicks to utilize fatty acids. The amount of glucose required for the maximal growth response varied from one-third to the same amount required for theoretical conversion of fatty acids to triglyceride, i.e., 0.035 to 0.105 g glucose/g fatty acids.