COCONUT OIL INCREASES WEIGH GAINS OF ANIMALS ON A LEAN DIET

Fats are the most commonly used supplements (additives) of animal feed added to increase its energy value. Unfortunately, most of fats do not comply to the required biological and technological characteristics. A notable amount of coconut oil containing over 70 % of medium chain fatty acids should be present among the fatty additives. The medium chain acids of coconut oil are very well absorbed by an animal body. Coconut oil is almost free of unsaturated fatty acids, which produce toxic peroxides and aldehydes under the heat treatment and storage. The aim of this work was to determine the nutritional value of coconut oil introduced into a lean feed. The lean feed consisted of corn starch, defatted soybean meal, ovalbumin, sugar, mineral and vitamin mixtures (total fat content was 0.06 %). White Wistar Rats (male, 4 months old) were fed with the fat-free (lean) diet for 31 days. Also the rats were fed with the fat-free diet in which 5 % of starch was replaced by 5 % of coconut oil containing 77% medium chain fatty acids (C8 : 0 - C14 : 0) and no polyunsaturated fatty acids. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of coconut oil was conducted using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer Shimadzu. It was shown that the principal acid was lauric acid (49.4 %), this was followed by myristic acid (22.8 %), stearic acid (12.0 %), palmitic acid (10.4 %), capric acid (3.1%), caprylic acid ( 2.2 %). Amount of the single detected unsaturated fatty acid, oleic acid, was 0.12 %. The daily feed intake was 30 g. The rats were weighed every three days. It was found that the rats fed with the fat-free diet grow normally. The rats‘ average weight gain (%) was 2.60 ± 0.04 (fat-free diet) and 3.60 ± 0.13 (fat-free diet + coconut oil). This means the increase in weight gain 38% in the presence of coconut oil. Therefore, it could be recommended to use coconut oil as an additive in animal feed. Costeffectiveness of coconut oil in animal feed will depend on the ratio of its price and the level of the cost price of additional animal products.