Nutritional and metabolic aspects of fatty liver disease in poultry

There are two metabolic disorders of major commercial importance in poultry that involve the occurrence of fatty deposits in the liver. Fatty Liver and Kidney Syndrome (FLKS) affects young birds and the main manifestations, lipid infiltrations into liver and many other organs, are apparently secondary effects of the primary lesion that lies in carbohydrate metabolism. Although several nutritional and environmental factors influence FLKS, the main factor is the vitamin, biotin. In the absence of an adequate supply of biotin, the hepatic activity of pyruvate carboxylase, a biotin-dependent enzyme, becomes so low that gluconeogenesis in the liver via pyruvate becomes negligible. When the bird is then subject to a mild stress and/or short term fasting, liver glycogen reserves become rapidly depleted and a progressive hypoglycaemia develops that ultimatley proves fatal. Supplementing diets with adequate amounts of biotin can prevent the syndrome. Fatty Liver Haemorrhagic Syndrome (FLHS) is brought about by an excessive accumulation of fat in the livers of adult hens which weakens the cellular structure of the liver and allows fatal haemorrhaging to occur. The aetiology of the syndrome is not clear, but a major factor is an excessive intake of dietary energy. However, the involvement of hormonal and toxicological factors, as well as other nutritional factors, is also possible.