Effect of Cholesterol on a Chicken

The nutritional content of chicken feed and, ultimately, what chickens consume affects their growth, performance and overall health. One important aspect to their diet is the cholesterol level in the food they eat. Many studies have been conducted to determine the effects of varying cholesterol levels of different feeds. Although each individual study is unique, most show consensus around that fact that cholesterol has a negative effect on the health of chickens.

  1. Significance of Cholesterol

    • According to Zantop, "Cholesterol is a major lipid that is a precursor of all the steroid hormones and bile acids as well as a component of the plasma membrane." The liver is a major site of cholesterol metabolism and this organ generally exhibits the greatest response to a cholesterol diet. It is important to understand what changes occur in the liver when considering cholesterol levels in chicken feed, as it affects the overall health of chickens.

    Typical Chicken Diet

    • The most common food that chickens eat is corn, which provides significant protein levels to help them grow. Most feeds that are purchased in feed stores offer brands that are premixed to contain a balanced diet for a range of chicken breeds. In addition to eating grains, chickens are natural foragers and enjoy finding worms, insects and grass to supplement their diet of processed or whole grains. Chickens also need calcium, so this should also be provided.

    Effects of Cholesterol on Chicken Health

    • In one study conducted at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Lahore-Pakistan, scientists evaluated the effects of cholesterol on fatty liver syndrome in broiler chickens. They found that significant changes in the liver occurred when cholesterol blood levels were high in chickens. This diet consideration in combination with low activity levels has been seen to cause liver hemorrhage in chickens, which not only affects their health and longevity, but also marks a financial loss for the farmer.

    Effects on Performance

    • In another study conducted at the University of Veterinary Sciences in Madrid-Spain, researchers found that feeding lupin seeds enriched with cholesterol to chickens caused a negative effect on performance. Performance includes the quantity and quality of eggs that are laid for food production purposes. However, depending on the feed purchased, grains that are not high in cholesterol do not show such consequences and therefore should be considered.

    Expert Insight

    • In an experiment conducted by Zantop, it was noted that the higher accumulation of liver fat could cause the liver to dysfunction in chickens. If liver function is compromised, then bile acids are not properly reabsorbed from the blood. It was noted that elevations of bile acids are seen as a cause of liver disease in chickens. Because it is known that cholesterol levels in chicken feed impact liver function, it is important to consider these health risks when purchasing feed.