High feeding intensity increases the severity of fatty liver in the American mink (Neovison vison) with potential ameliorating role for long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
BACKGROUND
Rapid body fat mobilization, obesity, and an inadequate supply of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been suggested to play roles in the etiology of fatty liver in the American mink (Neovison vison). This study examined the effects of feeding intensity and dietary fat source on fatty liver induced by fasting. In a multi-factorial design, 3 different fat sources (herring oil, rich in n-3 PUFA, soya oil, rich in n-6 PUFA, and canola oil, rich in n-9 monounsaturated fatty acids) were fed to mink at a low and high feeding intensity for 10 weeks, followed by an overnight or a 5-day fasting treatment to induce fatty liver.


RESULTS
Fasting led to the development of fatty liver with increased severity in the mink fed at the high feeding intensity. The herring oil diet, high in long-chain n-3 PUFA, was found to decrease the severity of fatty liver in the mink at the high feeding intensity.


CONCLUSIONS
Preventing excessive weight gain and increasing dietary intake of n-3 long-chain PUFA may help prevent excessive lipid accumulation during prolonged periods of fasting or inappetence by promoting hepatic fatty acid oxidation.
Morag F
MF
Dick
Jennifer
J
Hurford
Sha
S
Lei
Anne-Mari
AM
Mustonen
Petteri
P
Nieminen
Department of Plant and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, P,O, Box 550, B2N 5E3 Truro, NS, Canada. kirsti.rouvinen-watt@dal.ca.
Kirsti
K
Rouvinen-Watt
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005508:Food Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D008907:Mink
D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6