Changes on lipid profile by addition of flaxseed in caiman diet

BAUSO J.; SIMONCINI, M.; LARRIERA, A.; PIÑA, C. I.

Lake Charles

Congreso; XXIII Working Meeting Crocodiles Specialist Group - UICN; 2014

Crocodile Specialist Group (UICN)

Crocodilians have limited capacity to desaturate fatty acids. These reptiles are unable to synthesize fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (n-3) and linoleic (n-6) so they must be supplied in the diet. Flaxseed is recognized as a source of alpha-linolenic acid, which could be used to enrich the diet of crocodilians. The objective of this study is to evaluate if addition of flaxseed in the diet of Caiman latirostris, modify lipid profile in organs such as liver, kidney and fat body. We maintained 27 individuals of C. latirostris in captivity, randomly assigned to three feeding treatments: control diet (normal diet: dry balanced food and ground chicken head); whole seed diet (normal diet with the addition of whole flax seeds) and ground seed diet (normal diet with the addition of ground flaxseed). After a month, organs were extracted, with the objective to evaluate total lipids. In the kidney, there was no differences in the fatty acid profiles among treatments; while in liver, whole seeds (but not ground seed) added in the diet resulted in an increase in the concentration of n-7 fatty acid over the control. The diet with linseed (whole and ground seed) increased the proportion of fatty acids (n-3 and alpha-linolenic acid) in the body fat; but did not change the proportion of n-6, therefore decreased of ratio n6/n3. In the present work it was possible to modify the lipid profile in a different way in organs of C. latirostris, incorporating flaxseed to the diet during one month only.