Comparison in inducing effect on vitamin E deficiency symptoms in chicks between dilauryl succinate and unsaturated fatty acids.

Dilauryl succinate (DLS) and unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) were compared for the effects of inducing vitamin E deficiency symptoms in chicks. Experimental diets containing DLS, UFA and DLS + UFA, respectively, were given to 1-day-old chicks for 28 days. The diet containing DLS but not UFA showed far less increase in peroxide value than those containing UFA or DLS + UFA when left in a battery brooder of 30 degrees. Vitamin E deficiency symptoms in chicks given DLS + UFA were more severe than those in chicks fed either DLS or UFA. No significant difference in vitamin E deficiency symptoms except incidence of encephalomalacia was observed between the chicks given DLS and UFA. Extracting UFA from the diet containing DLS + UFA resulted in the reduction of vitamin E deficiency induction to the same degree as the diet containing DLS. Synthetic antioxidants were effective in alleviating the vitamin E deficiency symptoms in the chicks fed UFA and DLS + UFA, while only slightly effective in those given DLS. It was found that the effects of DLS and UFA can be separated and combined technically and it was suggested that they have different mechanism in inducing vitamin E deficiency.