Effect of Dilauryl Succinate on Reproduction of the Cock and Hen and Preventive Effect of Vitamin E

Abstract

Fertility of White Leghorn cocks fed a diet containing 12% of dilauryl succinate (LS) for 16 weeks was significantly lower than that of cocks fed the control diet. Little difference in fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs was observed between White Leghorn hens fed the control or LS diets, but the percentage of chicks at hatch, which showed signs of encephalomalacia with lesions on the cerebellum, and the percentage of the hens and offspring having fragile erythrocytes were much higher when LS was fed. Total tocopherol in the plasma of the cocks and hens fed LS and in the eggs laid by the hens fed LS was lower than that in birds fed the control diet, though that of the hens was within the range of plasma tocopherol of normal hens. Offspring of the cocks and hens fed LS died from encephalomalacia earlier than those fed the control diet. These observations with LS feeding were all prevented by oral administration of dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate. The responses of the cocks and hens to LS were compared with those to linoleic acid in the literature. The direct effect of LS, or more likely of monolauryl succinate, independent of peroxides from unsaturated fatty acids was discussed.

Effects of Dietary Vitamin E on Fertility Functions in Poultry Species

“…Another compound, dilauryl succinate, does not contain peroxide or polyunsaturated fatty acids, however, similar to linoleic acid, it induces encephalomalacia in chickens. In a study by Yoshida and Hoshii [27], fertility of WL roosters fed on a diet containing 12% dilauryl succinate for 16 weeks was significantly low. When the roosters were fed a diet containing 12% dilauryl succinate and 200 mg/kg dl -α-tocopheryl acetate, the sperm fertilizing capacity was significantly high.…”

Preventive Effect of Orally or Intramuscularly Administered Anti-oxidants against Encephalomalacia in the Starting Chicks Induced by Feeding Dilauryl Succinate

“…~) The diet containing 12 % of corn starch in place of DLS. 6) Difference between the incidence of encephalomalacia with a different sign was significant statistically by X2-test. 7) Average and standard deviation for three days between 11th and 14th day.…”

“…5) DLS 12 % diet without any supplementation of anti-oxidants. 6) The diet containing 12 % of eorn starch replacing DLS. 7) Difference between the incidence of encephalomalacia with a different sign was significant statistically by x 2 -test.…”

“…5) Represents the chicks fed DLS diet and suffering from encephalomalacia. 6) One chick showed the sign of encephalomalacia at 15th day, and this chick was omitted from measurement.…”

“…No encephalomalacia was observed in adult chickens fed dilauryl succinate, i.e., succinate diester of Iauryl alcohol (C I2 ), but their reproductive ability was depressed by feeding dilauryl succinate. 6 ) Dilauryl succinate, abbreviated as DLS hereafter, was chosen the model compound in this study on the mechanism of encephalomalacia induced by the compounds mentioned above, since it was the strongest inducer of encephalomalacia among them. 2 ) So far it has been observed that about 80 % of the starting chicks fed the diet containing 12 % of DLS suffered from encephalomalacia during the experimental period of three weeks, although this percentage depended on the vitamin E contents of diets and in newlyhatched chicks.…”