The objective of this study was to evaluate the fatty acid profile and PGE2 concentration in tibia of broiler chickens fed on diets with different linseed oil (LO) levels from one to 42 days of age. At the initial and growing phases (1 to 21 days and 22 to 42 days of age, respectively) a completely randomized design was used with four treatments, six replications and 50 birds per experimental unit. The birds were fed diets with different linseed oil levels (2.0; 3.5; 5.0 and 6.5%). It was observed in the period from 1 to 42 days of age that the diet fatty acid profile reflected on the bone fatty acid profile. The increase in the amount of linseed oil in the diets promoted a linear reduction of 20:4n-6 in the linseed oil concentration in the bone cells, but lower over time. The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentrations decreased in bone cells concentrations decreased in bone cells with birds age, but the effect of adding linseed oil to the diets was less intense for EPA and DHA. The bone PGE2 concentration was not influenced by the linseed oil levels in the diets, in the period from 22 to 42 days of age. Diet with addition of 5.17% and 6.5% linseed oil was effective to enhance the incorporation of 18:3n-3 and 20:5n-3 in broiler chicken bones, respectively, in the period from 1 to 42 days of age.
arachidonic acid; EPA; lipids; prostaglandin E2; tibia
